UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA     AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 
COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE  BEMJ'  *DE  WHEELER-  »-«-««' 

THOMAS    FORSYTH    HUNT,    DEAN  AND   DIRECTOR 
BERKELEY  M.    E.   VAN    NORMAN,    Vicc-Director    and    Dean 

University  Farm  School 


CIRCULAR  No.  208 
February,  1919 


SUMMARY  OF  THE  ANNUAL  REPORTS 

OF  THE 

FARM  ADVISORS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

For  December  1,  1917,  to  December  1,  1918 


UNIVERSITY  OF    CALIFORNIA   PRESS 
BERKELEY 

February,  1919 


The  thirty-five  counties  shown  in  solid  black  have  farm  bureaus 
and  farm  advisors 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA     AGRICULTURAL    EXPERIMENT  STATION 
COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE  BENJ-  ,DE  WHEELER'  ""— 

THOMAS    FORSYTH    HUNT,    Dean  and  Director 

BERKELEY  h.  e.  van  norman,  vice-director  and  dean 

University  Farm  School 

CIRCULAR  No.  208 
February,  1919 


SUMMARY  OF  THE  ANNUAL  REPORTS  OF  THE 
FARM  ADVISORS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

For  December  1,  1917,  to  December  1,  1918 


The  prime  requisites  for  the  successful  prosecution  of  the  war  were 
men,  munitions,  ships,  finance,  and  food.  It  was  impossible  to  dis- 
criminate between  the  importance  of  these  primary  war  materials 
since  all  were  absolutely  essential ;  a  serious  shortage  in  any  one  would 
have  caused  the  downfall  of  the  entire  enterprise.  However,  certain 
of  these  necessities  were  requisitioned  by  the  government — Congress 
made  it  possible  to  draft  as  many  men  as  might  be  needed ;  munitions 
were  secured  by  contract,  purchase  or  construction  of  munition 
factories;  ships  were  built  by  taking  over  the  shipbuilding  industry 
without  regard  to  cost  or  commercial  consideration.  But  finance  and 
food  were  left  largely  to  the  voluntary  effort  of  the  people.  No 
attempt  was  made  to  tax  the  population  directly  to  meet  the  entire 
expense  of  the  war,  nor  was  private  property  confiscated  to  bear  its 
cost.  The  people  voluntarily  loaned  their  money  to  the  government 
by  buying  Liberty  Bonds.  In  like  manner  no  proposal  was  made  to 
have  food  produced  under  government  contract,  nor  to  ration  it  out 
to  the  people.  The  farmers  were  expected  to  grow  all  the  crops  they 
could  if  they  knew  what  was  needed  and  the  best  methods  by  which 
to  do  so.  Both  the  production  of  food  and  the  lending  of  funds  were 
to  be  the  personal  contribution  of  the  people  of  America.  Necessarily 
under  these  circumstances,  the  morale  of  the  citizenry  of  the  country 
was  of  the  highest  possible  importance  to  insure  the  success  of  Liberty 
Bond  issues  and  the  production  and  conservation  of  food  materials. 
Under  the  government  system  in  vogue  the  entire  war  machinery 
rested  upon  the  belief  that  the  people  of  America  could  be  depended 
upon  to  lend  their  money  to  the  government  and  to  spend  their  efforts 
for  food  production  to  the  utmost. 

Two  federal  agencies  were  entrusted  with  the  food  problem:  (1) 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  which  in  general  was 


in  charge  of  food  production,  and  (2)  the  United  States  Food  Admin- 
istration, which  in  general  was  charged  with  the  conservation  and 
distribution  of  food. 

Fortunately,  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  had 
in  1913  inaugurated  a  system  whereby,  in  cooperation  with  the 
agricultural  colleges  of  the  several  states,  an  agricultural  extension 
organization  was  formed  which  would  ultimately  permeate  every 
agricultural  county  in  America  by  means  of  a  local  representative 
known  as  a  farm  advisor,  or  county  agent,  who  would  make  available 
to  the  people  of  the  counties  the  services  of  the  agricultural  institutions 
of  the  state  and  nation.  These  agents,  of  whom  over  fourteen  hundred 
were  at  work  when  war  was  declared,  were  at  once  available  to  bring 
from  the  government  to  the  people  on  the  farms,  the  plans  and  pur- 
poses of  the  programme  for  increased  agricultural  production.  It 
was  because  of  the  very  efficiency  and  established  purpose  of  this 
extension  organization  that  less  was  heard  of  it  than  of  some  other 
war  agencies  which,  because  of  their  novelty  and  peculiarity  attracted 
more  attention  in  the  popular  mind.  This  organization  extended  so 
far  into  rural  life  that  it  worked  with  extraordinary  efficiency  through- 
out the  states,  keeping  the  farmers  informed  of  the  status  of  the 
national  emergency  so  far  as  it  affected  crop  production. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  this  agricultural  extension  system 
numbered  a  total  of  2149  persons  throughout  the  United  States,  of 
whom  1461  were  farm  advisors  and  143  were  agricultural  club  workers. 
By  the  enactment  of  the  Emergency  Food  Production  Act  of  Con- 
gress, which  allotted  $4,348,400  for  the  purpose,  the  total  number 
of  extension  workers  was  greatly  increased  with  the  object  of  imme- 
diately installing  a  county  agent  in  every  agricultural  county  of 
America.  Thus  the  fulfillment  of  the  Smith-Lever  Act  was  pushed 
forward  by  the  necessities  of  war-time.  By  July  1,  1918,  the  total 
number  of  extension  agents  had  increased  to  6216,  including  3001 
county  agents,  2034  home  demonstration  agents  and  1181  boys'  and 
girls'  club  workers.  The  system  was  said  then  to  reach  90  per  cent 
of  the  farmers  of  America  and  95  per  cent  of  the  agricultural  pro- 
duction of  the  country.  The  farmers  were  thus  placed  in  direct  touch 
with  the  government's  agents  and  were  therebjr  immediately  informed 
of  the  latest  developments  in  the  national  situation.  The  move  was 
extremely  successful  because  it  was  based  upon  the  well-known  patriot- 
ism of  the  American  farmer;  he  was  ready  to  make  every  effort  within 
his  power  to  increase  his  production  in  the  direction  desired  by  the 
government,  provided  he  was  sure  that  he  was  correctly  advised  as 
to  what  the  government  needed.    Similar  local  agents  or  farm  advisors 


were  at  work  in  England,  France,  and  Italy  so  that  the  allied  countries 
had  a  practically  uniform  system  which,  while  it  had  been  established 
before  the  war,  lost  nothing  of  its  success  through  that  fact  but  rather 
became  more  efficient  and  more  firmly  entrenched  in  public  opinion 
thereby. 

In  California,  farm  advisor  work  was  started  in  July,  1913,  in 
Humboldt  County.  It  was  aided  by  government  funds  of  county, 
state,  and  nation  under  a  plan  whereby  the  federal  and  state  agricul- 
tural institutions  jointly  paid  the  salary  of  the  farm  advisor  whom 
they  appointed  and  whose  work  they  supervised,  while  the  county 
paid  his  local  office  and  traveling  expenses  to  the  sum  of  two  thousand 
dollars  per  year.  In  1915,  the  work  was  supplemented  by  the  Smith- 
Lever  Act  of  Congress  and  later  by  a  state  act  meeting  the  require- 
ments of  the  national  law  which  provided  that  beyond  an  initial  pay- 
ment of  ten  thousand  dollars,  the  Federal  Smith-Lever  funds  were  to 
be  met  by  equal  funds  provided  by  the  state  government.  The  amount 
so  appropriated  was  to  gradually  increase  year  by  year  until  1922 
when  it  would  reach  its  maximum  and  provide  sufficient  funds  to  place 
a  farm  advisor  in  every  agricultural  county  of  the  state. 

In  California  a  special  system  was  devised  whereby  no  farm  advisor 
would  be  placed  at  work  in  a  county  unless  the  farmers  desired  to  have 
his  services.  To  attest  this  it  was  required  that  at  least  20  per  cent 
of  the  farmers  of  the  county  should  join  a  farm  bureau  of  a  definite 
type  to  which  each  paid  dues  of  one  dollar  per  year.  The  farm  bureau 
so  formed  acted  as  a  cooperating  agency  through  which  the  farm 
advisor  could  reach  a  wide  range  of  activities.  Its  primary  purposes 
were  to  bring  to  the  farm  advisor  the  counsel  and  advice  of  the  best 
farmers  in  the  county  as  to  what  could  be  done  and  how  to  do  it ;  to 
provide  an  organization  to  reach  easily  and  quickly  every  community 
in  the  county ;  and  to  provide  a  plan  for  organized  self-help  by  enlist- 
ing the  cooperation  of  those  farmers  who  are  interested  in  promoting 
the  best  interests  of  their  county  and  community. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  there  were  fifteen  counties  in  Califor 
nia  which  had  such  a  system.  By  December,  1917,  the  period  at  which 
this  report  begins,  the  number  had  increased  to  nineteen  counties 
which  included  some  of  the  most  important  agriculturally  in  the  state 
of  California.  The  dates  on  which  these  counties  had  started  work 
were  as  follows : 

July,  191S Humboldt  County 

March,  1914 San  Diego  County 

May,  1914 San  Joaquin  County 

June,  1914 Yolo  County 


September,  1914 Napa  County 

September,  1914 Madera  County 

September,  1914 Alameda'  County 

September,  1914 Kern  County 

March,  1915 Glenn  County 

March,  1915 Solano  County 

August,         1915 Stanislaus  County 

August,         1915— Placer  County 

July,  1916 Imperial  County 

January,       1917 Sacramento  County 

May,  1917 Merced  County 

May,  1917 ...Nevada  County 

May,  1917 Eiverside  County 

July,  1917 Fresno  County 

September,  1917 San  Bernardino  County 

In  order  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  Emergency  Food  Pro- 
duction Act  which  sought  to  provide  a  farm  bureau  and  county  agent 
in  every  agricultural  county,  it  became  suddenly  necessary  to  com- 
plete in  one  year  the  expansion  of  the  farm  bureau  and  farm  advisor 
system  which  had  been  laid  out  for  the  next  five  years  under  the 
gradually  increasing  appropriations  of  the  Smith-Lever  Act.  The 
initiative  to  the  movement  was  given  by  the  Governor  of  the  state 
who  in  the  fall  of  1917  called  a  meeting  of  the  State  Council  of  De- 
fense at  the  Capitol  to  consider  and  promote  the  matter.  As  a  result 
of  that  conference  it  was  proposed  to  the  farmers  of  twenty  additional 
counties  that  they  should  form  a  county  farm  bureau  and  secure  an 
appropriation  from  their  boards  of  supervisors  sufficient  to  pay  the 
local  expenses  of  a  farm  advisor  in  order  that  they  might  obtain  the 
services  of  such  an  agent  and  thereby  more  easily  cooperate  with  the 
federal  government. 

Between  December  1,  1917,  and  December  1,  1918,  sixteen  addi- 
tional counties  qualified  for  farm  advisors  who  were  immediately 
installed ;  thus  at  this  time  there  are  thirty-five  counties  of  California 
which  have  a  uniform  system  of  agricultural  administration  in  direct 
touch  with  the  state  and  federal  institutions  of  agriculture.  These 
thirty-five  counties  cover  85  per  cent  of  the  farms  of  California  and 
their  farm  bureaus  have  a  totai  paid  membership  of  19,748  persons. 
This  is  the  largest  agricultural  organization  west  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains and  is  surpassed  in  only  a  few  states  of  the  Union. 

Only  five  of  the  counties,  in  which  it  was  planned  to  install  a  farm 
advisor,  did  not  carn^  out  that  programme.  These  were  Siskiyou. 
Colusa,  Santa  Clara,  San  Luis  Obispo,  and  Santa  Barbara.  Of  these, 
Colusa  and  San  Luis  Obispo  successful^  formed  their  farm  bureau 
organizations  bul  despite  the  requests  of  the  farmers  of  the  county, 


appropriations  for  the  farm  advisor's  expenses  were  refused  by  the 
local  boards  of  supervisors.  In  Siskiyou,  Santa  Clara,  and  Santa 
Barbara  counties,  the  proposal  did  not  meet  with  sufficient  response 
from  the  farmers  to  make  it  a  desirable  expenditure  of  public  funds. 
More  recently  several  additional  counties  have  applied  for  farm 
advisors  which  requests  have  been  necessarily  denied  because  the 
present  appropriations  are  entirely  allotted. 

The  sixteen  counties  which  qualified  within  the  last  twelve  months 
installed  farm  advisors  on  the  following  dates : 

December,  1917 Contra  Costa  Couutj 

December,  1917 Los  Angeles  County 

December,  1917 Santa  Cruz  County 

December,  1917 Shasta  County 

December,  1917 Tulare  Countv 

January,     1918 El  Dorado  County 

January,     1918 Kings  County 

January,     1918 Mendocino  County 

January,     1918 Sonoma  County 

January,     1918.. Ventura  County 

March,        1918 Orange  County 

March,        1918 Sutter  County 

April,  1918 Monterey  County 

June,  1918 Yuba  County 

August,       1918 Butte  County 

August,       1918 Tehama  County 

It  was  the  original  intention  of  the  Smith-Lever  Act  of  Congress 
that  the  states  should  meet  on  a  dollar-per-dollar  basis  the  appro- 
priation of  the  federal  government  for  this  work  and  it  was  so  con- 
ducted until  the  declaration  of  war,  but  the  Emergency  Food  Pro- 
duction Act  brought  large  funds  to  the  work  through  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  so  that  at  present  the  federal  government 
appropriates  for  work  in  California,  four  dollars  for  every  dollar 
appropriated  by  the  state.  It  is  not  likely  that  this  condition  will 
continue  beyond  the  present  fiscal  year.  Funds  from  federal  sources 
are  derived  from  three  acts  of  Congress:  (1)  The  Smith-Lever  Act 
which  automatically  increases  $9,197.88  per  year  until  1922,  for  the 
purpose  of  demonstrations  in  agriculture  and  home  economics  through 
the  states;  (2)  the  regular  appropriation  of  Congress  to  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture,  a  portion  of  which  is  allotted  to 
the  work  of  the  Agricultural  Extension  Division  in  Berkeley.  (Dur- 
ing the  present  year  this  amounts  to  $10,704,  divided  as  follows: 
farm  advisor  work  $7,800,  home  demonstration  $600,  agriculture 
clubs  $2,304),  and  (3)  the  Emergency  Appropriation  of  Congress  for 


the  increased  production  of  food,  which  this  year  totals  $148,560, 
divided  as  follows :  farm  advisor  work  $85,260,  home  demonstration 
$50,800,  agriculture  clubs  $12,500.  Funds  from  the  state  are  derived 
from  two  sources.  Beginning  with  the  fiscal  year,  July  1,  1918,  these 
appropriations  are  as  follows:  (1)  the  regular  appropriation  to  the 
University  of  California  of  which  $5,582  is  used  for  this  work,  and 
(2)  the  Smith-Lever  appropriation  through  the  University,  of  $32,882. 

Considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  in  securing  trained  men 
to  fill  the  increased  number  of  positions  in  farm  advisor  work.  At 
just  the  time  when  the  expansion  of  the  farm  advisor  system  was 
required,  large  numbers  of  agricultural  men  were  volunteering  for 
the  army  and  navy.  In  order  to  meet  the  shortage  partially,  six 
members  of  the  faculty  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  were  tempo- 
rarily detailed  from  their  regular  work  to  the  farm  advisor  service. 
As  the  war  progressed,  a  new  difficulty  was  experienced  in  the  desire 
of  many  of  the  men  to  leave  farm  advisor  work  in  order  to  go  into 
the  army  and  navy  which  were  everywhere  recognized  as  the  supreme 
type  of  public  service.  The  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 
and  the  College  of  Agriculture  called  to  the  attention  of  the  men  that 
the  farm  advisor  work  was  a  necessary  war  enterprise  and  that  neither 
their  patriotism  nor  their  usefulness  could  be  doubted  in  this  work 
for  which  they  had  been  selected.  Nevertheless  twelve  men  left  the 
service  in  order  to  enter  the  army  and  navy.  The  larger  proportion 
remained  at  a  considerable  sacrifice  of  their  personal  desires,  with 
the  full  understanding  that  it  was  probable  that  neither  national 
preferment  nor  private  commendation  would  come  to  them  in  such 
measure  as  it  would  if  they  followed  their  personal  wishes  and  aban- 
doned the  work  with  which  they  were  entrusted  in  order  to  enter  the 
more  hazardous  though,  to  them,  more  attractive  service  at  the  front. 

Immediately  after  the  beginning  of  the  war  every  farm  bureau 
in  California  voted  to  transfer  its  activities  from  its  past  regular 
programme  to  one  aimed  primarily  toward  the  aid  of  the  national 
defense.  Previous  work  of  the  farm  bureaus  had  been  local  in  char- 
acter intending  to  increase  the  local  knowledge  of  agricultural  fact 
and  to  add  to  the  facilities  and  improvements  of  agriculture  through 
such  means  as  irrigation,  drainage,  marketing  facilities,  better  roads, 
schools,  etc. 

The  war  programme  of  the  farm  bureaus  made  all  these  local 
interests  subservient  to  the  national  programme  of  work  and  through- 
out the  entire  period  of  the  war  they  consistently  held  to  this  principle 
so  that  necessarily  the  annual  reports  of  the  California  farm  bureaus 
concern  themselves  chiefly  with  the  local  success  of  the  broad  general 


programme  requested  from  Washington.  The  farm  advisors  followed 
a  similar  purpose.  While  their  previous  activities  had  largely  been 
those  which  centered  about  service  to  individual  farmers,  the  war 
brought  to  them  further  burdens  of  many  types  and  kinds  so  that  they 
were  compelled  in  a  certain  degree  to  omit  some  of  these  individual 
services  because  of  the  larger  considerations  involved.  Nevertheless, 
the  farm  advisors  in  California  during  the  past  year  visited  15,216 
different  farms  on  the  request  of  farmers  to  give  advice  and  made 
a  total  of  26,492  such  farm  visits.  They  held  a  total  of  4,596  farm 
bureau  center  meetings  with  a  total  attendance  of  205,662  persons. 

On  March  11,  1918,  there  was  called  at  the  University  of  California 
at  Berkeley,  the  Annual  Farm  Bureau  Conference  at  which  were 
present  three  representatives  from  each  of  the  farm  bureaus  of  the 
various  counties  of  California  as  well  as  the  farm  advisors  and  their 
assistants  and  certain  representatives  of  the  staff  of  the  College  of 
Agriculture.  The  conference  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  planning 
the  year's  work  on  those  projects  which  were  definitely  indicated  as 
being  desirable  from  a  federal  standpoint.  The  day  started  with  the 
reading  of  a  telegram  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  as 
follows : 

The  White  House,  Washington,  D.  C. 
I  am  greatly  interested  in  the  emergency  food  production  confer- 
ence to  be  held  at  Berkeley.  It  is  highly  important  that  we  do 
everything  within  our  power  to  secure  sufficient  supplies  for  our 
own  population  and  Army  and  for  the  nations  with  which  we  are 
associated.  I  trust  the  conference  will  find  ways  of  overcoming  the 
difficulties  inherent  in  the  situation  and  that  its  labors  will  be  fruit- 
ful of  large  results  and  thereby  aid  in  bringing  this  war  to  a  suc- 
cessful termination.  May  I  not  suggest  that  you  read  to  those 
assembled  at  the  conference,  as  a  message  from  me,  the  recent  state- 
ment I  made  to  the  farmers  of  the  Nation  through  the  conference  at 
Urbana?  Woodrow  Wilson. 

Plans  for  various  projects  were  read  to  the  delegates  setting  forth 
definite  and  detailed  campaigns  for  those  counties  to  which  they 
might  apply.  Upon  each  one  of  these  projects,  the  delegates  voted 
their  approval  or  disapproval  so  that  when  finally  adopted,  the  projects 
represented  the  opinion  of  the  representatives  of  the  twenty  thousand 
farmers  in  the  farm  bureaus  of  California.  Seven  major  projects  were 
laid  out  for  the  work  of  the  forthcoming  season  which  perhaps  may 
be  most  briefly  set  forth  by  the  telegram  which  the  conference  sent  as 
a  reply  to  the  President's  message  of  the  same  date.  The  pages  follow- 
ing show  how  the  terms  of  this  telegram  to  the  President  were  fulfilled : 


8 

Berkeley,  California,  March  11,  1918. 
The  President,  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  members  of  the  emergency  food  production  conference, 
representing  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  state  through  the  36 
organized  county  farm  bureaus,  received  your  telegraphic  message 
with  great  enthusiasm  and  have  adopted  the  following  state-wide 
program  for  the  season  of  1918: 

1.  To  urge  the  building  of  a  silo  and  planting  of  sweet  sorghums 
for  silage  and  for  sirup  on  every  dairy  farm  in  California. 

2.  To  put  on  20,000  farms  one  good  brood  sow  or  two  pigs  in 
order  to  increase  the  amount  of  pork  that  state  will  raise.  At  least 
40,000  more  hogs  will  be  so  raised. 

3.  To  develop  boys'  agricultural  clubs  in  every  community  in 
California  where  supervision  can  be  provided.  Three  thousand  boys 
were  already  growing  crops.  Thousands  more  are  to  join  from  this 
campaign. 

4.  To  bring  the  women  of  California  who  live  on  farms  into 
active  organization  as  a  part  of  the  county  farm  bureaus  in  order 
to  increase  food  conservation. 

5.  To  handle  farm  labor  situation  by  eliminating  unnecessary 
activities  and  working  harder  on  essential  ones;  also  further  better 
distribution  of  labor  by  means  of  Federal  employment  stations  and 
cooperation  of  farm  bureaus. 

6.  To  investigate  immediately  the  seed  supply  of  the  State  in 
order  to  be  assured  that  an  adequate  amount  is  on  hand  to  plant 
the  1918  crops. 

7.  To  protect  grain  fields  and  grass  ranges  from  fire  by  means  of 
county-wide  protective  organizations  under  farm  bureaus  and  thus 
eliminate  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars  annual  loss  in  foodstuffs. 

Please  rest  assured  of  our  hearty  cooperation  for  the  successful 
prosecution  of  the  war. 

Following  the  conference  at  Berkeley,  one  hundred  and  forty-five 
of  the  delegates  traveled,  by  automobile  through  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  seeing  farm  bureau  work.  This  traveling  conference  gave 
opportunity  to  the  various  delegates  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
methods  used  in  the  several  counties  and  created  a  strong  personal 
contact  between  the  men  from  widespread  sections  of  the  state.  Im- 
mediately afterward,  the  various  projects  adopted  were  submitted  to 
the  farm  bureau  directors  of  each  county  and  were  there  discussed 
with  relation  to  the  local  situation.  Later  in  the  season,  two  additional 
state-wide  campaigns  were  inaugurated,  making  nine  in  all  that  were 
operative  during  the  season.  These  two  later  campaigns  were  (1) 
the  maintenance  of  the  sheep  industry  throughout  the  state  by  placing 
small  flocks  of  sheep  on  farms,  and  (2)  the  increase  in  the  acreage 
of  wheat  for  the  fall  planting  of  1918,  The  progress  of  these  nine 
projects  is  hereafter  discussed : 


CAMPAIGN  FOR  INCREASED  PORK  PRODUCTION 

Pork  products  were  among  the  most  essential  food  supplies  for 
the  United  States  and  its  allies.  The  war  created  an  immense  increase 
in  the  export  of  pork  products  during  1917  with  a  marked  decrease 
in  the  amount  of  stock  hogs  in  the  United  States.  This  was  particu- 
larly true  in  California  where  the  extremely  high  price  of  grain  did 
not  warrant  the  keeping  of  hogs  at  the  prices  then  existing.  Figures 
furnished  in  February  by  the  United  States  Food  Administration 
indicated  that  at  least  33  per  cent  of  the  breeding  stock  in  California 
had  already  been  sacrificed  and  indications  were  that  a  still  greater 
portion  of  the  breeding  stock  would  follow  to  the  market.  The  entire 
hog  industry  of  California,  and  therefore  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  was 
threatened  due  to  the  lack  of  balance  between  the  price  of  grain  and 
the  price  of  hogs.  Because  the  large  hog  raisers  could  not  be  expected 
to  raise  great  numbers  of  hogs  at  a  loss,  the  plan  was  to  distribute 
this  loss  and  at  the  same  time  make  for  the  permanency  of  diversified 
agriculture  in  the  state  by  asking  farmers  to  keep  two  pigs  or  one 
good  brood  sow  on  all  farms  of  California  and  thus  create  a  wide- 
spread demand  to  relieve  the  temporary  situation  which  was  appalling 
in  its  possibilities.  Young  pigs  and  brood  sows  were  going  to  packers 
in  great  numbers.  They  were  unfit  material  for  the  best  quality 
of  cured  pork  and  since  they  represented  the  future  of  the  industry, 
should  never  have  been  slaughtered.  Germany  had  made  a  grave 
mistake  in  the  early  years  of  the  war  by  sacrificing  through  govern- 
ment order  40  per  cent  of  her  hogs,  thus  reducing  her  pork  supply 
causing  a  serious  handicap  from  which  she  probably  never  fully 
recovered. 

Under  the  project  adopted,  the  board  of  directors  of  the  farm 
bureau  appointed  a  committee  from  their  number  and  committees 
in  each  farm  bureau  center  so  that  a  complete  canvas  of  the  entire 
membership  could  be  obtained.  These  were  asked  to  sign  a  pledge 
to  keep  two  "Liberty  pigs"  or  one  brood  sow  as  a  patriotic  effort 
without  regard  to  profit  or  loss.  It  was  confidently  believed  that 
farmers  would  make  a  profit  upon  the  enterprise  because  it  was 
probable  that  the  price  of  grain  would  decline  and  the  price  of  hogs 
would  increase  before  the  hogs  became  of  marketable  age,  but  no 
assurance  was  given  to  the  farmers  of  this  fact  in  view  of  the  ruling 
prices  at  that  time.  Thirty-two  counties  promptly  voted  to  embark 
upon  this  project  which  became  effective  on  March  18.  Within  four- 
teen days  after  the  project  went  into  effect  the  great  stream  of 
immature  pigs  and  brood  sows  that  had  been  going  to  the  packing 


10 

houses  was  deflected  to  the  farms  of  the  state  and  within  one  month 
it  was  almost  impossible  in  most  localities  to  buy  good  young  pigs  or 
brood  sows  at  any  reasonable  price.  Five  thousand  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  farmers  definitely  signed  pledges  for  "Liberty  pigs" 
from  a  patriotic  standpoint,  buying  and  keeping  a  total  of  22,297 
additional  hogs  because  of  this  campaign.  These  twenty  odd  thousand 
hogs  represented  the  margin  between  the  demand  and  supply.  They 
were  effective  not  so  much  because  of  the  actual  number  involved 
but  because  they  were  thrown  onto  the  opposite  side  of  the  balance 
at  a  critical  moment  and  thereby  created  public  opinion  sufficient  to 
save  the  industry  in  the  state.  Thus  large  hog-raisers  who,  because 
of  current  prices,  had  been  discouraged  over  the  hog  outlook  and 
planned  to  sell  out  their  business,  found  farmers  from  all  over  the 
county  coming  to  them  to  buy  pigs  and  thereupon  determined  to  stay 
in  business.  This  campaign  was  remarkable  for  its  simplicity  and 
effectiveness.  It  strengthened  the  hog  industry  at  a  critical  time, 
it  put  five  thousand  farmers  to  keeping  a  few  pigs  at  small  cost,  and 
it  helped  to  diversify  California  farming. 

SILO  SORGHUM  CAMPAIGN 

Because  of  the  dry  season  in  1917,  there  was  an  alarming  shortage 
of  rough  feed.  This  coupled  with  the  necessity  for  increasing  livestock 
production  as  a  war  measure  led  to  a  campaign  for  an  increased  num- 
ber of  silos  in  California.  Experience  has  shown  that  when  a  farmer 
builds  a  silo  he  is  very  likely  to  grow  something  to  put  into  it.  So 
silos  lead  to  the  planting  of  silage  crops  which  in  the  farm  enterprise 
usually  represent  materials  additional  to  those  that  would  otherwise 
be  grown.  At  the  same  time  there  was  a  threatened  shortage  of  sugar 
which  seemed  likely  to  become  acute  and  which  subsequently  did  pinch 
the  people  of  the  Pacific  Coast  in  the  fall  of  1918.  The  plan  was  to 
plant  various  high-yielding  sweet  sorghums  for  silage  and  to  urge  this 
in  sufficient  acreage  to  create  a  surplus  beyond  that  necessary  for 
silage.  The  extra  material  might  then  be  ground  for  sorghum  sirup 
which,  in  a  time  of  need,  would  act  as  a  cheap  and  efficient  sugar 
substitute  for  the  people  on  farms.  The  silo-sorghum  campaign  could 
thus  be  waged  with  a  double  emergency  purpose  in  view. 

Fortunately  in  1917,  the  extension  service  had  conducted  demon- 
strations with  an  inexpensive  wood-hoop  silo,  known  as  the  "farm 
bureau  silo,"  which  had  been  extensively  located  throughout  various 
portions  of  California  and  thereby  become  a  visible  demonstration 
of  the  possibility  of  a  cheap  silo  on  the  average  dairy  farm.  Unhap- 
pily, the  dry  season  of  1917  was  followed  by  a  still  drier  one  in  1918, 


11 

so  that  except  where  irrigation  was  available  the  raising  of  sweet 
sorghums  was  seldom  practicable,  although  this  could  not  be  forecast 
in  March  when  late  rains  were  still  looked  for.  However,  674  farmers 
planted  sweet  sorghums  for  silage  with  a  total  of  5077  acres,  and 
367  new  silos  were  built  upon  the  advice  of  the  farm  advisors,  of 
which  273  were  a  direct  result  of  this  particular  campaign.  While 
the  campaign  was  not  a  large  success  due  to  the  dry  season,  which 
made  it  more  difficult  to  grow  sorghums  than  in  any  recent  years, 
nevertheless  it  went  far  enough  to  demonstrate  the  practicability  of 
silos  and  sweet  sorghums  as  a  permanent  part  in  the  farm  system  on 
California  dairy  farms  and  will  undoubtedly  be  followed  by  wide- 
spread adoption  of  the  idea  in  1919. 

FIRE-PROTECTION   CAMPAIGN   FOR   GEAIN   FIELDS   AND 
GRASS  RANGES 

In  the  past,  heavy  fire  losses  have  been  regularly  expected  in  grain 
fields  and  grass  ranges  during  the  dry  season.  When,  because  of  the 
war,  food  production  became  a  federal  matter,  food  waste  through 
grain  and  grass  fires  was  recognized  as  directly  opposed  to  national 
interests,  and  fire  protection  thereby  became  a  necessary  war  measure. 
In  1917,  at  the  request  of  the  agricultural  extension  service,  the  United 
States  Forest  Service  devised  a  scheme  of  rural  fire  companies  which 
was  inaugurated  in  two  of  the  farm  bureau  counties  with  such  success 
that  it  was  deemed  wise  to  give  it  state-wide  application  during  1918. 
The  plan  was  that  in  each  community  where  there  was  a  farm  bureau 
center,  there  would  be  formed  a  local  rural  fire  company,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  would  be  expected  to  instantly  respond  to  calls  of  fire. 
From  among  their  number,  they  were  to  elect  a  "fire  boss"  who 
would  be  designated  as  ' '  deputy  state  fire  warden, ' '  and  another  per- 
son to  be  known  as  a  "fire  despatcher"  whose  duty  it  was  to  remain 
at  the  telephone  at  the  time  of  the  fire  and  to  call  up  all  persons 
who  might  help.  In  addition,  the  farm  bureau  center  was  to  possess 
a  rural  fire-fighting  apparatus  with  which  to  combat  the  flames.  This 
consisted  of  a  trailer  so  simply  built  and  with  such  complete  equip- 
ment that  it  instantly  appealed  to  everyone  who  saw  it.  It  was  obvious 
that  if  each  farm  bureau  center  in  California  had  such  an  organization 
and  such  apparatus,  fire  damage  could  be  greatly  decreased. 

The  project  was  undertaken  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm,  374  local 
fire  companies  being  organized  in  as  many  farm  bureau  centers  of 
the  state,  257  of  which  had  complete  trailer  outfits  for  fire  fighting, 
6391  farmers  voluntarily  enlisted  in  these  rural  fire-fighting  companies 
which  protected  15,012  square  miles  of  territory.    The  result  was  most 


12 

astonishing.  Fires  in  grain  fields  from  carelessness,  or  sparks  from 
tractors,  or  harvesters,  were  almost  immediately  controlled  by  the  fire 
companies  which  came  racing  to  the  spot.  Where  a  serious  outbreak 
occurred,  a  call  was  telephoned  to  other  fire  companies  in  the  county 
and  sometimes  as  many  as  six  or  eight  trailers  would  be  at  the  scene 
of  the  fire  in  a  few  minutes. 

Rumors  of  German  attempts  to  fire  hay  stacks  were  rife  through- 
out the  state.  The  actual  number  of  fires  that  broke  out  was  certainly 
greater  than  for  any  previous  year,  due  either  to  the  exceptionally  dry 
season  or  to  the  operations  of  disaffected  persons.  Despite  this,  the 
amount  of  damage  from  grain  and  grass  fires  was  only  about  half  that 
of  previous  years;  whereby  it  may  be  safely  assumed  that  at  least 
a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars'  worth  of  foodstuffs  was  saved  to  the 
state  by  this  simple  and  effective  type  of  organization. 

PLAN  FOE  HANDLING  FAEM  LABOR  NEEDS 

During  1917  the  farm  advisors  were  called  upon  to  assist  in  helping 
their  communities  secure  farm  labor.  In  some  cases  this  took  the 
form  of  actually  conducting  a  farm  labor  employment  bureau,  as  well 
as  developing  additional  sources  of  farm  labor  and  obtaining  data  on 
the  exact  state  of  affairs  both  during  and  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
season.  It  was  evident,  however,  that  in  1918  the  securing  of  farm 
labor  would  be  a  large  problem.  Fortunately  an  increased  number 
of  seasonable  local  labor  offices  established  by  the  federal  and  state 
employment  service,  took  over  a  large  portion  of  the  work  previously 
done  by  the  farm  advisors.  These  local  labor  offices  were  usually  in 
close  conjunction  with  the  headquarters  of  the  farm  bureau  and  at 
all  times  the  farm  advisors  were  in  consultation  and  cooperation  with 
the  local  agents  of  the  public  employment  services.  Nevertheless, 
these  local  offices  did  not  extend  to  all  sections  of  the  state  and  con- 
siderable actual  work  was  done,  as  in  1917,  in  receiving  applications 
from  farmers  for  labor  and  in  supplying  to  them  laborers  who  hap- 
pened to  apply  to  the  farm  advisors'  offices.  During  the  season, 
3536  farmers  applied  to  the  farm  advisor  or  farm  bureaus  for  labor, 
while  a  total  of  12,302  persons  applied  for  jobs  on  farms,  either  in  the 
field  or  in  household  employment.  Of  these,  9490  were  males  and 
2812  females.  Of  the  total  number  of  laborers  who  applied,  or  who 
were  secured  elsewhere,  12,800  farm  laborers  were  actually  supplied  by 
farm  advisors  and  farm  bureaus  to  applying  farmers.  The  extremely 
dry  season  decreased  the  threatened  labor  shortage  so  that  crop  losses 
from  that  source  were  small. 


13 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   BOYS'   AGRICULTURE    CLUBS 

Since  1914,  the  Extension  Service  of  the  College  of  Agriculture 
has  conducted  boys'  agricultural  clubs  throughout  the  state.  In  the 
early  years  these  were  largely  confined  to  boys  of  high-school  age 
because  they  were  a  smaller  group  and  were  of  great  importance 
since  they  would  soon  become  farmers.  But  in  later  years  these  agri- 
culture clubs  have  been  extended  to  boys  in  the  upper  grades  of  the 
elementary  schools,  the  necessary  supervision  being  furnished  through 
the  cooperative  employment  of  high-school  teachers  of  agriculture. 

In  order  that  the  farm  bureau  might  become  the  agency  for  rural 
progress  with  all  classes  of  people,  the  1918  programme  contemplated 
the  placing  of  these  agriculture  clubs  in  each  county  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a  committee  of  directors  of  the  farm  bureau.  The  projects  to 
be  undertaken  by  the  boys  were  to  be  those  already  adopted  by  the 
farm  bureau  for  the  betterment  of  the  county.  Thus,  where  a  hog 
campaign  was  in  progress,  the  boys  were  enlisted  in  pig  clubs  which, 
because  of  the  accurate  reports  which  the  boys  kept,  became  demon- 
strations for  bringing  to  the  farmers  those  methods  and  means  which 
resulted  in  the  largest  profit.  Committees  of  farm  bureau  directors 
interested  boys  in  many  communities  of  the  state  to  undertake  this 
agriculture  club  work  of  growing  crops  and  animals.  Thus,  while  in 
1917  there  were  208  such  boys'  agriculture  clubs,  during  the  present 
season  the  number  of  clubs  increased  to  369.  The  total  enrollment 
of  boys  in  1917  in  these  clubs,  was  1879,  but  during  the  present  year 
it  increased  to  2750  boys,  a  general  increase  over  the  state  of  about 
50  per  cent.  The  demonstrations  conducted  by  these  boys  totaled  966 
acres.  They  also  raised  1855  pigs,  453  sheep,  28  calves  and  3875  fowls. 
The  valuation  of  produce  raised  by  these  boys  was  $67,321. 

The  agriculture  club  work  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  fundamental 
undertakings  of  the  entire  farm  bureau  system  since  it  builds  up  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  most  progressive  agricultural  practices  and 
shows  that  careful  farming  pays  real  profits.  There  is  little  doubt 
but  that  members  of  the  boys'  agriculture  clubs  will  furnish  some 
of  the  best  California  farmers  of  the  future. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  FARM  HOME  DEPARTMENTS  OF  THE 
FARM  BUREAUS 

The  development  of  home  demonstration  work  as  provided  under 
the  Emergency  Food  Production  Act  appropriates  funds  for  the 
employment  of  county  home  demonstration  agents  in  the  several  states. 


14 

This  work  had  already  been  under  way  in  California  through  district 
agents,  each  covering  several  counties,  but  it  was  evident  that  if 
measurable  results  were  to  be  attained,  the  problem  was  such  as  to 
require  a  definite  county  and  community  organization  and  the  instal- 
lation of  county  women  agents. 

The  farm  bureaus  had  always  assumed  in  their  organization  that 
their  work  included  the  development  and  betterment  of  social,  home, 
school,  and  church  conditions  in  the  county.  Many  women  had  become 
members  of  county  farm  bureaus  and  at  all  farm  bureau  meetings 
women  were  usually  present  and  took  part.  It  seemed  desirable,  how- 
ever, to  form  a  definite  department  of  the  farm  bureau  which  would 
consider  the  special  problems  that  centered  about  the  farm  home  so 
that  rural  women  might  organize  themselves  into  an  agency  for  pro- 
moting the  special  projects  in  which  they  were  interested.  Twenty 
counties  in  California  therefore  adopted  a  plan  creating  a  farm  home 
department  of  the  farm  bureau,  looking  toward  the  creation  of  a 
large  membership  of  farm  women  who  should  be  especially  interested 
in  that  particular  department.  These  women  joined  the  farm  bureau 
exactly  on  the  same  terms  as  the  men,  but  for  their  service  this  special 
branch  of  the  organization  was  formed  which  holds  separate  meetings 
in  each  farm  bureau  center  of  the  county.  In  nine  counties  the  work 
has  been  so  far  developed  that,  before  December  1,  the  boards  of 
supervisors  in  those  counties  made  appropriations  of  $1500  per  year 
for  the  expenses  of  home  demonstration  agents,  to  be  appointed  in  the 
counties  on  the  same  basis  as  the  farm  advisors.  These  counties  were 
San  Diego,  Imperial,  Riverside,  San  Bernardino,  Los  Angeles,  Kern, 
Alameda,  San  Joaquin,  and  Shasta.  Seven  of  these  home  demon- 
stration agents  have  already  been  appointed  and  others  will  follow 
at  an  early  date.  The  home  demonstration  agents  are  located  at  the 
farm  bureau  office  and  travel  from  there  about  the  county,  meeting  the 
members  of  the  farm  home  department  in  the  various  centers  on  a 
regular  schedule  similar  to  that  followed  by  the  farm  advisor.  Their 
particular  problems  during  the  period  of  the  war  were  to  teach  better 
methods  of  gardening  and  poultry  raising  on  farms;  to  eliminate 
waste  by  demonstrating  the  utilization  of  waste  products  of  the  farm 
home  and  garden  through  canning,  drying  and  other  conservation 
methods;  and  to  urge  the  adoption  of  labor  saving  devices  for  the 
housekeepers.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  work  with  farm  women  will, 
in  the  forthcoming  years,  reach  as  large  a  field  of  usefulness  as  that 
occupied  by  the  departments  especially  designed  for  men. 


15 


BETTER  SEED  CAMPAIGNS 


It  was  evident  that  in  many  crops,  the  quickest  and  cheapest 
increase  in  yields  could  be  made  through  the  use  of  better  seed.  This 
improved  seed  was  secured  either  by  field  selection  on  the  farms,  or 
by  purchase  elsewhere. 

In  the  fall  of  1917,  the  farm  bureaus  where  grain  sorghums  were 
an  important  crop,  conducted  an  extensive  campaign  for  the  field 
selection  of  grain  sorghum  seed  as  an  effort  not  only  to  secure  higher 
yields  but  greater  uniformity  which  makes  for  ease  in  harvesting. 
The  plan  was  that  farmers  having  good  fields  of  grain  sorghums  should 
select  enough  for  sale  to  the  entire  community.  Two  hundred  and 
eight  farmers  carried  out  such  field  selections,  securing  in  all  enough 
selected  seed  to  plant  52,276  acres  of  the  1918  crop.  This  selected 
seed  was  not  always  entirely  used  in  the  immediate  locality  but  fre- 
quently farm  bureaus  in  neighboring  counties  bought  quantities  of 
seed  from  farm  bureaus  that  had  an  excess  supply.  In  actual  results, 
1285  farmers  planted  233,647  pounds  of  selected  grain  sorghum  seed 
in  1918.  It  is  difficult  to  state  accurate  results  but  some  counties 
assert  that  the  increase  in  yield  so  secured  was  as  high  as  20  per  cent. 
Certain  it  is  that  the  campaign  was  so  successful  that  the  practice  of 
field  selection  will  continue  in  after  years. 

A  similar  campaign  was  conducted  in  certain  coast  counties  for 
the  field  selection  of  seed  corn.  One  hundred  and  eighty-eight  farmers 
so  selected  their  seed  which  in  1918  was  planted  on  4597  acres.  In  the 
fall  of  1918,  2902  bushels  of  corn  were  saved  for  seed  which  is  to  be 
used  on  the  1919  fields. 

A  widespread  effort  was  made  to  secure  better  seed  wheat  for 
planting  in  the  fall  of  1918,  the  plan  being  for  the  farm  bureaus  to 
buy  the  best  seed  obtainable  in  carload  lots  which  was  distributed  at 
cost  to  members  throughout  the  county.  Altogether  144,871  bushels 
of  wheat  seed  were  purchased  and  planted  on  2663  farms  in  the  fall 
of  1918.  Similarly  21,270  bushels  of  seed  barley  were  secured  for  117 
farmers. 

The  seed  campaigns  of  the  farm  bureaus  continued  the  entire 
season  and  have  extended  altogether  to  twenty-one  crops,  among  which 
may  be  mentioned :  potatoes,  beans,  cotton,  rice,  Sudan  grass,  alfalfa, 
clover,  and  vetch.  Perhaps  one  of  the  most  forward  steps  in  the 
year's  work  has  been  the  fact  brought  home  to  California  farmers 
that  good  seed  pays. 


16 


CAMPAIGN  TO  INCREASE  MUTTON  AND  WOOL  PRODUCTION 

Sheep  raising  in  California  has  so  far  been  confined  largely  to  big 
flocks,  comparatively  few  sheep  being  raised  in  small  bands  on  ordinary 
farms.  Because  of  dry  seasons,  feed  conditions  during  the  summer 
of  1918  were  such  that  it  appeared  likely  some  large  flocks  of  sheep 
would  have  to  be  slaughtered  in  the  fall.  In  all  cases,  herdsmen  would 
cull  their  flocks  more  closely  than  usual  because  of  the  decrease  in 
feed,  and  it  even  seemed  probable  in  some  instances  that  herds  of  sheep 
would  starve.  Meanwhile,  the  need  for  increased  wool  production 
was  very  evident  since  the  United  States  was  producing  less  than  half 
the  wool  consumed  in  the  country,  and  the  demand  was  further 
increased  by  the  army  and  navy.  Wool  supplies  which  normally 
reach  the  United  States  from  other  countries  were  now  being  used 
elsewhere  so  that  as  the  size  of  the  army  increased,  the  needs  of  wool 
for  the  government  became  so  great  as  to  threaten  a  serious  shortage. 
Therefore,  a  decrease  in  the  number  of  sheep  in  California  appeared 
a  calamity  which  should  be  averted  if  possible. 

It  therefore  seemed  desirable  to  inaugurate  a  campaign  to 
encourage  the  keeping  of  small  flocks  of  sheep  on  farms  where  it  was 
practicable.  Farmers  who  maintained  a  small  flock  of  sheep  would 
render  a  distinct  service  to  the  country.  While  undertaking  this 
purely  as  a  patriotic  effort,  it  would  probably  result  in  a  considerable 
profit  since  a  small  flock  of  sheep  is  a  valuable  addition  to  almost  any 
farm  as  they  utilize  weeds  and  wastes  about  the  fields,  fence  corners 
and  ditches,  while  returning  a  double  cash  crop  yearly,  of  wool  and 
lambs.  Wherever  possible,  these  sheep  were  to  be  obtained  locally 
from  large  herdsmen  who  were  planning  to  sell  their  flocks  because 
of  the  shortage  of  feed  but  when  such  were  not  available,  the  Division 
of  Animal  Husbandry  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  of  the  Uni- 
versity agreed  to  assist  in  securing  sheep  from  ranges  or  other  places 
and  to  distribute  them  at  cost  to  farmers. 

In  the  late  summer  and  early  fall,  the  farm  bureaus  appointed 
committees  in  all  centers  where  the  plan  was  applicable  and  dis- 
tributed pledges  to  keep  "Liberty  Flocks."  On  these  the  farmer 
signified  whether  he  desired  the  farm  bureau  to  secure  the  sheep  for 
him  or  whether  he  would  himself  purchase  them  directly  from  sheep 
men.  If  the  farm  bureau  was  not  able  locally  to  buy  the  sheep, 
farmers  were  required  to  deposit  funds  in  their  local  banks  sufficient 
to  cover  the  cost.  In  such  cases,  the  Animal  Husbandry  Division  was 
asked  to  secure  the  sheep  needed  which  were  shipped  into  the  county 
at  cost  and  divided  among  the  farmers  who  had  ordered  them.     The 


17 

total  increase  in  the  number  of  sheep  in  flocks  on  farms  resulting 
from  this  campaign  was  47,123,  of  which  30,038  were  directly  sent  to 
the  farmers  by  the  farm  advisors  or  farm  bureaus.  Most  of  this 
number  were  secured  in  or  near  the  counties  in  which  they  were 
placed,  it  only  being  necessary  to  purchase  through  the  Animal 
Husbandry  Division  a  total  of  2456  sheep. 

While  the  early  rains  in  the  fall  of  1918  undoubtedly  saved  large 
numbers  of  flocks  that  otherwise  would  have  perished,  the  good  done 
by  the  sheep  campaign  will  remain  a  permanent  feature  in  California 
agriculture  through  the  many  farmers  who  have  started  to  keep 
small  flocks  of  sheep  as  an  integral  part  of  their  farm  management 
enterprises. 

CAMPAIGN  FOR  THE  INCREASE  OF  WHEAT 

In  the  fall  of  1917,  the  farm  advisors  and  farm  bureaus  conducted 
a  campaign  for  the  increase  of  wheat  in  California  by  urging  farmers 
to  convert  part  of  their  barley  acreage  into  wheat.  At  that  time,  the 
price  of  barley  ruled  so  much  higher  than  wheat  that  farmers  who 
embarked  upon  the  project  did  so  at  a  probable  loss.  Since,  however, 
the  federal  government  only  asked  for  an  increase  of  88,000  acres  of 
wheat  in  the  state,  this  could  be  spread  over  a  large  number  of  farms 
by  the  farm  bureau  campaign,  so  that  the  difference  between  the 
selling  price  of  wheat  and  barley,  if  barley  still  continued  to  rule 
higher,  would  represent  but  a  small  loss  to  an  individual.  The  farm 
advisors  and  farm  bureaus  in  1917  secured  actual  signed  pledges  for 
an  increase  of  101,000  acres  of  wheat,  thus  overtopping  the  govern- 
ment's request.  Of  this  increase,  however,  probably  only  half  was 
actually  planted  due  to  the  dry  season  which  in  certain  sections  made 
it  impossible  to  germinate  the  seed,  or  if  so,  to  secure  a  material  crop. 
Thus,  while  there  was  an  actual  increase  in  the  wheat  acreage  of 
California,  the  1918  harvest  showed  a  decrease  of  over  a  million 
bushels. 

For  the  fall  and  winter  planting  of  1918,  the  programme  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  called  upon  California 
farmers  to  plant  538,000  acres  of  wheat  which  probably  was  an 
increase  of  about  122,000  acres  over  the  1918  acreage.  Meanwhile, 
during  the  current  year,  the  demand  for  barley  had  decreased  due  to 
the  decline  in  brewing  and  the  greater  supplies  of  wheat  available. 
The  ruling  price  for  barley  had  dropped  accordingly,  somewhat  aided 
by  the  unified  buying  system  of  the  allied  governments  whereby  they 
avoided  competing  against  one  another  in  the  open  markets.  There- 
after some  farmers  found  it  difficult  to  sell  barley,  while  prices  gen- 


18 

erally  had  not  ranged  higher  than  the  corresponding  prices  for  wheat. 
The  farm  bureau  campaign  thus  started  under  more  favorable  cir- 
cumstances than  in  1917,  since  it  was  easier  to  convert  farmers  to  a 
transfer  from  barley  to  whe'at  when  the  prospects  indicated  that  both 
personal  and  national  interests  were  coincident. 

But  the  farm  bureau  campaign  not  only  sought  to  transfer  barley 
land  into  wheat  where  this  was  possible,  but  urged  other  methods  of 
increasing  the  wheat  yield,  such  as  planting  wheat  on  land  formerly 
used  for  pasturage,  by  irrigating  wheat  lands  which  were  formerly 
dry-farmed,  by  the  treatment  of  wheat  for  smut,  by  the  use  of  better 
seed,  and  by  the  early  preparation  of  the  land.  Fortunately  the  early 
rains  in  September  aided  this  programme  so  that  while  the  farm 
bureaus  started  out  to  secure  an  increase  of  122,000  acres  over  that 
of  the  previous  season,  pledges  were  actually  signed  for  151,783  acres 
of  wheat  increase,  while  the  observed  increase  totaled  231,812  acres. 
While  undoubtedly  the  campaign  was  made  easier  by  the  declining  use 
of  barley  and  the  favorable  season,  nevertheless  it  was  evident  that  the 
continued  campaigns  emanating  from  the  federal  government  had 
not  only  redounded  to  the  national  welfare  but  to  that  of  individual 
farmers,  since  the  farm  advisors  were  able  to  forecast  with  unusual 
success  those  crops  which  would  be  in  demand  and  which  therefore 
would  bring  exceptionally  good  prices.  All  this  had  been  learned  by 
the  farmers  of  the  state  through  past  experience  so  that  they  now 
more  willingly  followed  the  leadership  of  the  farm  bureaus  and  farm 
advisors. 

MISCELLANEOUS  EESULTS 

While  the  special  emergency  food  production  campaigns  were 
going  forward,  the  farm  advisors  were  going  from  farm  to  farm  on 
requests  of  farmers  giving  advice  on  certain  agricultural  practices. 
Some  of  the  known  results  of  this  work  are  given  hereafter : 

In  Relation  to  Crops 

Farms  selecting  seed  corn  in  fall  on  agents'  advice 188 

Acres  planted  with  fall-selected  seed  corn 4,797 

Farms  testing  seed  corn  for  germination 70 

Acres  of  corn  planted  with  tested  seed 765 

Farms  growing  corn  for  silage 400 

Acres  of  corn  grown  for  silage 5,443 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  corn  was  grown  on  their  advice,  in- 
cluding all  other  lines  of  corn  work  than  those  above 246 

Total  acres  of  corn  included  in  above 11,051 

Farms  on  which  the  agents  know  that  wheat  was  grown  on  their  advice  986 

Total  acres  of  wheat  so  grown 151,783 


19 

Farms  on  which  seed  oats  was  treated  for  smut  on  advice  of  agents 430 

Acres  sown  with  treated  seed 8,760 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  oats  were  grown  on  their  advice  other 

than  those  included  above 65 

Total  acres  of  oats  grown  on  advice  of  agents 6,946 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  seed  potatoes  were  treated  on  their 

advice  447 

Acres  of  potatoes  planted  with  seed  treated  for  disease 2,196 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  potatoes  were  grown  on  their  advice 

other  than  those  above 211 

Total  acres  of  potatoes  grown  on  advice  of  agents 3,071 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  hay  was  grown  on  their  advice 57 

Total  acres  of  hay  so  grown .-. 754 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  alfalfa  was  sown  on  their  advice 175 

Total  acres  of  alfalfa  so  sown  on  above  farms 6,394 

Farm  on  which  agents  know  sweet  clover  was  grown  on  their  advice 180 

Acres  of  sweet  clover  so  grown 3,265 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  soy  beans  were  grown  on  their  advice  15 

Total  acres  of  soy  beans  so  grown 51 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  cowpeas  were  grown  on  their  advice  ....  137 

Total  acres  of  cowpeas  so  grown 3,687 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  vetch  was  grown  for  grain  on  their  advice  45 

Acres  of  winter  or  hairy  vetch  so  grown 1,120 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  barley  was  sown  on  their  advice 121 

Total  acres  of  barley  so  grown 3,190 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  rye  was  grown  on  their  advice 72 

Total  acres  of  rye  so  grown 830 

Orchards  cared  for  in  whole  or  in  part  on  advice  of  agents 1,621 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  red,  alsike,  or  white  clover  were  grown  on 

their  advice  393 

Total  acres  of  clover  so  grown 3,708 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  beans  were  grown  on  their  advice 2,896 

Total  acres  of  beans  so  grown 147,644 

Farms   on  which   agents   know  that  sugar   beets   were   grown   on   their 

advice  50 

Total  acres  of  sugar  beets  so  planted 2,000 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  tomatoes  were  grown  on  their  advice  6 

Total  acres  of  tomatoes  so  grown 120 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  broom  corn  was  grown  on  their  advice  2 

Total  acres  of  broom  corn  so  grown 125 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  rice  was  grown  on  their  advice 11 

Totals  acres  of  rice  so  grown 425 

Total  acres  seeded  to  pasture  on  advice  of  agents 1,005 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  cotton  was  grown  on  their  advice 43 

Total  acres  of  cotton  so  grown 2,290 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  Sudan  grass  was  grown  on  their  advice  45 

Total  acres  of  Sudan  grass  so  grown 245 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  castor  beans  were  grown  on  their  advice  42 

Total  acres  of  castor  beans  so  grown 1,382 


20 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  sorghums  were  grown  for  silage  on 

their  advice   493 

Total  acres  of  sorghums  so  grown 5,077 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  that  grain  sorghums  were  grown  on  their 

advice  317 

Total  acres  of  grain  sorghums  so  grown 5,538 

Farms  on  which  seed  sorghum  was  selected  in  fall  on  advice  of  agents ....  283 

Total  acres  planted  with  fall  selected  seed 52  276 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  seed  wheat  was  treated  for  smut  on  their 

advice 485 

Total  acres  sown  with  treated  seed 67,800 

Farms  on  which  bean  seed  was  selected  on  agents'  advice 14 

Farms  on  which  vineyards  were  cared  for  in  whole  or  in  part  on  advice 

of  agents  25 

In  Kelation  to  Livestock 
Farms  on  which  agents  know  registered  stallions  were  secured  on  their 

advice 2 

Farms  on  which  agents  know  registered  bulls  were  secured  on  their  advice  58 

Total  number  of  registered  cows  agents  know  were  secured  on  their  advice  91 

Total  number  of  registered  rams  agents  know  were  secured  on  their  advice  78 

Total  number  of  registered  boars  agents  know  were  secured  on  their  advice  97 

Total  number  of  other  livestock  bought  or  sold  on  their  advice 75,856 

Total  number  of  cow-testing  associations  organized  by  agents  or  on  their 

advice  8 

Total  number  of  members  in  these  associations ...  224 

Total  number  of  cows  tested  or  under  test  in  1918  for  milk  production 

in  all  such  associations  organized  in  1918,  or  previously 15,888 

Total  number  of  cows  tested  for  milk  production  by  individuals  on  advice 

of  agents  1,342 

Total  number  of  cows  discarded  as  a  result  of  test , , 467 

Farms  on  which  balanced  rations  figured  by  agents  are  known  to  have 

been  adopted  351 

Total  number  of  livestock  breeders '  associations  organized  by  agents  ....  9 

Total  number  of  members  in  such  livestock  breeders '  associations 679 

Total  number  of  animals  tested  for  tuberculosis  by  agents,  or  on  their 

advice 2,278 

Total  animals  treated  for  blackleg  by  agents  or  on  their  advice    3,354 

Total  hogs  vaccinated  for  cholera  by  agents 998 

Total  hogs  vaccinated  for  cholera  on  advice  of  agents 4,133 

Total  cattle  vaccinated  against  anthrax  on  advice  of  agents 490 

Total  horses  vaccinated  against  pneumonia  on  advice  of  agents 415 

Total  fowls  vaccinated  for  chickenpox  on  advice  of  agents 18,590 

Total  silos  secured  on  advice  of  agents 367 

Total  cooperative  hog  auction  sales  held  on  advice  of  agents 66 

Total  hogs  sold  at  these  sales 25,771 

Farms  on  which  milch  goats  were  raised  on  advice  of  agents 3 

Total  milch  goats  bought  on  advice  of  agents 7 

Total  goats  treated  for  lung  worm  on  advice  of  agents 40 

Total  bee  colonies  examined  for  fowl-brood  on  advice  of  agents 1,700 

Total  stands  of  bees  increased  on  advice  of  agents 100 


21 

In  Eelation  to   Soils,  Fertilizers   and   Fertility 

Total  crop-rotation  systems  planned  and  adopted  on  advice  of  agents  ... .  203 

Total  drainage  systems  planned  and  adopted  on  advice  of  agents 6Q 

Total  acres  included  in  these  drainage  areas 42,563 

Total  irrigation  systems  planned  and  adopted  on  advice  of  agents 76 

Total  acres  included  in  these  irrigation  areas 187,941 

Farms  on  which  manure  was  reenforced  with  acid  phosphate  or  ground 

rock  phosphate  on  advice  of  agents 85 

Farms  on  which  chemical  fertilizers  were  used  on  advice  of  agents 327 

Total  tons  of  chemical  fertilizer  so  used 1,123% 

Farms  on  which  chemical  fertilizers  were  home-mixed  on  advice  or  under 

direction   of   agents 16 

Total  tons  of  such  home-mixed  fertilizers  used 206 

Total  farms  on  which  agents  tested  soil  for  acidity 435 

Farms  using  lime  on  suggestion  of  agents 620 

Local  sources  of  lime  or  limestone  developed 3 

Total  limestone  crushers  or  grinders  introduced 1 

Total  tons  of  lime  or  limestone  used  on  suggestion  of  agents 1,280 

Total   acres    of   hay   land   and   permanent   pasture    top-dressed    (straw, 

manure  or  fertilizer)   on  advice  of  agents 15,680 

Total  acres  of  clover  and  other  legumes  plowed  under  for  green  manure 

on  advice  of   agents 10  294 

Farms  on  which  double  crop  plans  were  adopted  on  advice  of  agents 10 

Farms  on  which  trees  and  vines  were  planted  on  advice  of  agents 40 

Total  acres  manured  on  advice  of  agents 400 

Total  lime  deposits  examined  by  agents  for  local  supply  of  cheap  lime  ....  14 

Total  farms  on  which  general  soil  examinations  were  made  for  alkali ....  129 

Total  tons  of  acid  phosphate  used  on  alfalfa  on  advice  of  agents 75 

Total  farmers  helped  on  soil  management,  soil  fertility,  etc 22 

Total  farmers  using  gypsum  on  alfalfa  on  advice  of  agents 276 

Total  tons  of  gypsum  so  used 1,453 

In  Relation  to  Farm  Homes  and  Farm  Business 

Total  farm  account  books  placed  in  hands  of  farmers 1,059 

Total  farmers  who  kept  such  records  throughout  year 286 

Total  farmers  assisted  by  agents  in  summarizing  their  accounts 94 

Total  farmers  who  have  made  profitable  changes  in  their  business  as  a 

result  of  record  keeping  on  advice  of  agents 91 

Total  farmers'  exchanges  organized  by  agents  or  on  their  advice  in  1918  7 
Total  value  of  business  done  in  1918  through  all  such  exchanges  organ- 
ized by  agents  or  their  predecessors $2,067,450 

Other  purchasing  and  marketing  associations  organized  in  1918  by  agents 

or  on  their  advice 14 

Total  value  of  business  done  in  1918  by  all  such  associations  organized 

by  agents  or  their  predecessors $8,178,507.57 

Total  approximate  savings  effected  in  1918  by  all  such  associations  or 

exchanges    $627,415 

Total  farms  supplied  with  laborers  in  1918  through  such  associations  or 

exchanges,  or  by  county  agents 4,103 


22 

Total  laborers  so  furnished  to  farmers 8,643 

Farms  on  which  water  supply  and  sewage  disposal  systems  were  intro- 
duced on  advice  of   agents 240 

Total  pounds  of  wool  pooled  and  shipped  for  small  growers 28,000 

Total  good-roads  days  held  on  advice  of  agents 10 

Total  value  of  work  done  on  these  days $2,200 

Total  homes  and  farms  on  which  landscape  gardening  was  advised 14 

In  Relation  to  Extending  Agents  '  Work  in  Counties 

Different  farmers  visited  on  their  farms 15,216 

Total  farm  visits  made ...  26,492 

Total  calls  on  agents  at  office  relating  to  county  agent  work 50,261 

Total  meetings  held  under  auspices  of  farm  bureau  or  county  agent 4,5yo 

Total  of  all  meetings  in  which  agent  took  part,  including  above 5,420 

Total  attendance  at  such  meetings,  including  above 205,662 

Total  membership  in  county  farm  bureaus  (December  1,  1918) 19,803 

Total  farmers'  clubs  organized  by  agent  in  1918 48 

Total  membership  in  above  clubs 1,827 

Other  associations  organized  for  adults  in  1918 19 

Total  membership  of  all  associations  for  adults  organized  in  1918 2,793 

Total  boys'  and  girls'  clubs  organized  in  1918  through  farm  bureaus 159 

Total  membership  in  such  clubs  organized  in  1918 1,279 

Total  agricultural  articles  written  by  agent  published  in  local  papers 2,866 

Total  agricultural  articles  written  by  agent  for  county  farm  bureau  news 

or  other  official  publications  of  farm  bureau 1,755 

Total  letters  mailed  (including  original  copies  of  circular  letters) 59,879 

Total  circulation  of  all  such  circulars  and  letters 224,926 

Total  agricultural  observation  parties  conducted  (auto  trips,  etc.)  68 

Total  persons  in  all  such  parties 2,096 

Total  meetings  or  demonstrations  held  at  which  assistance  was  rendered 

by  specialists 775 

DEMONSTRATIONS  ON  FARMS 

It  has  always  been  a  fundamental  part  of  the  farm  advisors '  work 
to  locate  demonstrations  of  desirable  practices  on  farms  of  interested 
farmers,  the  idea  being  that  these  demonstrations  shall  act  as  a  com- 
munity example  of  the  contrast  between  the  improved  method  and 
that  usually  practiced  in  the  community.  When  these  demonstrations 
are  at  maturity,  meetings  are  held  in  the  field  with  farmers  in  the 
locality  to  show  them  the  results  attained.  During  the  period  of  the 
war,  the  emergency  food  production  campaigns  necessitated  a  dimin- 
ution of  this  work.  Nevertheless,  the  farm  advisors  located  1420 
such  field  demonstrations,  at  which  they  later  held  870  field  meetings 
with  a  total  attendance  of  22,354  persons.  A  list  of  these  demonstra- 
tions  follows: 


23 


Total  number  Number  of 

of  field  counties 

demonstrations  in  which 

conducted  conducted 

Deciduous  pruning  120  22 

Vine  pruning  48  10 

Citrus  pruning 24  3 

Fig  management  1  1 

Pear  blight  control 25  2 

Control  of  orchard  tree  diseases 33  2 

Spraying  12  4 

Control  of  scaly  bark 11  3 

Gommosis  control  3  1 

Walnut  codlin  moth  control 5  1 

Morning  glory  control 2  2 

Weed  eradication  5  2 

Grape  leaf  hopper  control 3  1 

Grasshopper  eradication   5  2 

Insect  control   2  1 

Fumigation   control   2  2 

Eed   spider   control 8  1 

Potato   scab   control 3  1 

Vine  sulphuring  1  1 

Vine  fertilization  1  1 

Sweet  sorghum  culture 44  8 

Grain  varieties  test 8  4 

Grain  sorghum  culture 61  4 

Sorghum  variety  demonstrations 62  1 

Cereal  variety  demonstrations 1  1 

Seed  wheat  demonstrations 1  1 

Wheat  culture  on  adobe  lands 2  1 

Army  worm  control 2  1 

Alfalfa  culture  5  1 

Alfalfa   fertilization    63  5 

Legume  variety  culture 27  3 

Bean  seed  selection 3  2 

Bean  culture  11  1 

Blackeye  bean   culture 3  1 

Soy  bean  culture 2  1 

Castor  bean  culture 12  2 

Corn  culture  12  2 

Millet  culture 1  1 

Grain  smut  control 99  19 

Cover   crop   culture 125  14 

Second  crop  5  1 

Cotton  culture  25  2 

Potato  fertilization 2  1 

Tree  surgery  1  1 

Orchard   management    2  1 

Liming    Ill  8 

Ammonium  sulphate  on  grain 8  3 

Gypsum  on  alfalfa 6  1 


24 


Total  number  Number  of 

of  field  counties 

demonstrations  in  which 
conducted                     conducted 

Acid  phosphate  on  alfalfa 6  1 

Land  leveling  1  1 

Barley  cover  crop  in  preparation  for  beans  13  1 

Fertilization  of  adobe  lands 1  1 

Irrigation  and  preparation  of  land 4  2 

Fertilizer  demonstrations 11  1 

Soil  management  104  3 

Superphosphates   on  wheat 2  1 

Subsoiling 2  1 

Farm  drainage   1  1 

Orchard  fertilization  3  1 

Drainage  in  alkali  reclamation 4  1 

Blackleg  control 12  4 

Dairy  improvement  18  2 

Chickenpox  vaccination  30  4 

Anthrax   vaccination   5  2 

Hog  cholera  control 39  8 

Hog  feeding   13  4 

Hog  management  3  2 

Silo"  demonstrations  24  13 

Silo  filling  2  ~2 

Wild  sunflowers  for  silage 1  1 

Silage  feeding  5  1 

Poultry  culling  38  7 

Poultry  lice   control 1  1 

Poultry  breeding   6  1 

Poultry  management  16  4 

Calf  cholera  control 1  1 

Tuberculosis  tests  9  4 

Animal    disease    control 7  2 

Bee  culture 20  3 


25 


ALAMEDA  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  work  was  carried  forward  by  thirty-six  permanent 
committees  in  the  various  centers.  The  membership  was  increased  somewhat  during 
the  year  but  scarcity  of  labor  and  influenza  retarded  progress  with  this  campaign. 
Thirteen  farm  bureau  free  labor  employment  offices  scattered  over  the  county 
enabled  farmers  to  secure  help  when  needed.  Thirty-four  ranchers  kept  farm 
business  record  books  with  very  satisfactory  results.  The  hog  and  sheep  campaigns 
resulted  in  1004  more  hogs  and  about  1000  sheep  were  placed  on  farms.  Five  tons 
of  Defiance  wheat  was  also  brought  into  the  county  for  seed  purposes.  The  wheat 
acreage  was  increased  by  5428  acres  for  the  1919  crop  and  demonstrations  were 
carried  on  with  sorghums  and  corn  for  silage  purposes.  Smut  control  demonstra- 
tions were  held  in  different  places  and  1200  pounds  of  copper  sulphate  were  secured 
at  cost  for  farmers.  Rodent  control  work  was  an  important  feature  in  the  activi- 
ties of  the  farm  bureau  and  poisoned  grain  was  mixed  and  sold  at  cost  to  farmers, 
thereby  providing  poison  at  less  than  half  the  market  price.  Hundreds  of  families 
were  induced  to  grow  war  gardens  and  26,850  pounds  of  fruit  pits  were  collected 
for  gas  masks  for  the  army.  Very  successful  morning  glory  control  demonstrations 
were  held  in  the  county  by  means  of  spraying.  Fertilizer  and  lime  demonstrations 
were  conducted  on  a  number  of  farms  and  cover  crops  were  proved  valuable  in 
orchards  where  moisture  conditions  are  favorable.  A  successful  municipal  free 
market  was  established  in  Oakland  which  was  supported  by  about  a  hundred 
farmers  and  several  thousand  customers  were  served  daily.  The  farm  home  depart- 
ment succeeded  in  increasing  the  number  of  vegetable  gardens  in  cities  by  637 
besides  placing  38,665  additional  hens  on  small  farms  and  increasing  the  home 
canning  of  fruits  and  vegetables  by  63,315  quarts.  It  also  supplied  1000  meals 
to  needy  individuals  during  the  influenza  epidemic. 

The  county  farm  advisor  and  his  assistant  were  active  in  assisting  the  farm 
bureau  to  conduct  its  campaigns.  They  formed  a  cow  testing  department  with 
eight  members  and  625  cows.  Advice  and  plans  were  made  for  the  remodeling 
and  construction  of  ten  septic  tanks  in  the  county.  Much  help  was  given  in  the 
control  of  the  grape  leaf  hopper  on  vines.  Eelief  was  also  given  in  combating 
animal  diseases  and  thirty-two  demonstration  meetings  were  held  with  attendance 
of  200  to  show  the  value  in  following  modern  ideas  along  this  line.  Fifty-four 
poultrymen  adopted  improved  methods  of*  handling  poultry  as  recommended  by  the 
farm  advisor  and  during  demonstrations  9000  chickens  were  vaccinated  for  chicken- 
pox.  In  addition  to  this  1500  animals  were  vaccinated  for  blackleg,  490  for 
anthrax,  529  for  tuberculosis  and  174  hogs  for  cholera.  Calls  for  assistance  among 
farmers  required  a  traveling  of  nearly  27,000  miles  by  the  farm  advisor's  office. 

Plans  are  under  way  to  increase  the  lines  of  work  for  1919.  Some  of  the 
projects  to  be  undertaken  will  be  a  special  campaign  to  increase  the  use  of  silos 
and  seven  demonstrations  are  now  being  planned  to  this  end.  The  agricultural 
survey  of  the  county  will  be  finished  and  campaigns  inaugurated  to  increase  potato 
production  and  the  growing  of  summer  crops.  Increased  pork  production  will 
also  be  continued  and  the  work  on  farm  business  records  greatly  extended.  Special 
attention  will  also  be  given  to  the  extermination  of  rodent  pests  and  in  extending 
boys'  agriculture  club  work. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 453 

Total  farm  visits  made 1,302 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 5,453 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 509 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 7,008 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 4,182 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 26,995 


26 

BUTTE  COUNTY 

Work  started  August,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  is  just  getting  started  with  its  work.  Even  before  a 
farm  advisor  was  placed  in  the  county  the  organization  had  started  campaigns  to 
increase  the  number  of  hogs  and  sheep  kept  on  farms  and  the  acreage  of  wheat, 
all  three  campaigns  being  very  successful.  Active  committees  were  appointed  that 
succeeded  in  placing  on  farms  many  sows  and  pigs  that  otherwise  would  have 
gone  to  market  and  in  having  3000  sheep  placed  in  flocks  on  small  farms.  The 
wheat  campaign  was  followed  by  a  series  of  six  demonstrations  in  various  parts  of 
the  county  on  the  treatment  of  seed  to  prevent  smut.  Butte  County  increased  its 
wheat  plantings  by  10;000  acres,  and  about  15,000  acres  were  planted  with  treated 
seed.  The  influenza  epidemic,  which  stopped  all  meetings,  has  interfered  with 
organization  work  although  seven  active  centers  are  in  existence  and  others  await- 
ing an  opportunity  to  organize. 

The  farm  advisor  has  given  particular  attention  to  orchard  work,  in  addition 
to  the  food  production  campaigns  and  other  work  called  for  by  the  government. 
He  has  responded  to  many  calls  for  information  on  fruit  packing,  pruning,  spray- 
ing and  general  orchard  management.  A  series  of  tree  pruning  demonstrations 
have  been  given  in  the  fruit  sections  of  the  county.  Much  individual  help  has 
been  given  farmers  in  making  out  questionnaires  and  informatoin  was  furnished 
the  local  draft  board  on  deferred  classification  requests.  Cooperation  has  been- 
given  the  horticultural  commissioner  in  the  campaign  to  eradicate  ground  squirrels. 
He  has  also  conducted  tree  pruning  demonstrations  for  farm  bureaus  in  adjoining 
counties. 

The  Butte  County  Farm  Bureau  is  interested  in  many  lines  of  work,  such  as 
land  settlement,  diversified  farming,  improvement  of  crops  and  livestock,  develop- 
ment of  more  irrigation,  and  solving  orchard  problems.  A  comprehensive  series  of 
demonstrations  on  orchard  practice  and  pruning  has  been  laid  out  and  work  begun 
on  them  this  fall.  These  demonstrations  are  located  in  the  various  fruit  sections 
and  will  be  carried  on  for  several  years.  A  committee  has  been  appointed  in  each 
fruit  center  to  cooperate  with  the  farm  advisor  in  working  on  the  particular 
problems  of  that  center.  June  drop  of  citrus  fruits  is  a  big  problem  in  this 
county  and  a  series  of  demonstrations  on  the  control  of  this  trouble  is  under  way 
in  the  citrus  districts.  Demonstrations  in  the  construction  and  use  of  silos  are 
planned  as  well  as  associations  to  promote  the  more  general  use  of  pure  bred 
livestock. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 384 

Farm  visits  made  by  the  farm  advisor 130 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 162 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 21 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 655 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 948 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor 6  349 


27 


CONTRA  COSTA  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  instigated  a  campaign  for  the  extermination  of 
squirrels  in  this  county  and  to  this  end  cooperated  in  the  mixing  and  distribution 
to  farmers  at  cost  of  25,977  pounds  of  poisoned  grain  and  552  gallons  of  carbon 
bisulphide.  The  infestation  in  the  county  is  serious  and  it  is  estimated  that 
$100,000  worth  of  food  crops  are  thus  destroyed  each  year.  Remarkably  good 
results  have  been  secured  to  date  and  promise  of  practical  extermination  of  this 
pest  is  assured.  Six  boys7  pig  clubs  were  organized  in  the  county  during  the  year 
and  very  excellent  results  were  obtained.  The  largest  gain  per  pig  for  the  120 
days  of  feeding  was  an  average  of  1.71  pounds  per  day.  This  work  has  done  much 
to  stimulate  better  methods  in  hog  raising  in  the  county.  The  "hog  campaign 
resulted  in  placing  587  additional  pigs  on  farms.  A  very  effective  volunteer  fire- 
fighting  organization  was  perfected  with  twelve  companies  and  176  members. 
More  than  twenty  fires  were  put  out  and  one  local  outfit  alone  saved  more  during 
the  year  than  the  cost  of  the  entire  county  equipment.  The  scarcity  of  wool  and 
mutton  caused  the  farm  bureau  to  carry  on  a  campaign  to  place  more  sheep  in 
small  bands  on  farms  and  resulted  in  975  bred  ewes  being  distributed  among 
farmers.  The  need  for  more  wheat  resulted  in  a  campaign  to  increase  the  acreage 
of  this  cereal  and  140  tons  of  recleaned  wheat  seed  of  two  varieties  were  secured 
and  distributed  among  fifty-six  farmers  for  fall  planting.  The  campaign  resulted 
in  an  increase  of  200  per  cent  in  the  acreage  planted  to  wheat  in  the  county. 
Plans  were  also  formulated  and  approved  for  an  irrigation  district  at  Knightsen 
to  cover  10,000  acres  of  fertile  land. 

The  county  farm  advisor  cooperated  with  the  farm  bureau  in  promoting  all 
of  its  projects.  He  succeeded  in  getting  farmers  to  plant  178  acres  of  saccharine 
and  grain  sorghums.  It  was  proven  that  Early  Amber  sorghum  and  Sudan  grass  are 
very  good  forage  crops  for  the  western  part  of  the  county.  Six  varieties  of  beans, 
two  varieties  of  sweet  sorghum,  three  of  grain  sorghum  and  four  plats  of  Sudan 
grass  were  tried  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  and  several  promising  varieties 
were  selected  for  propagation.  Twenty  field  demonstration  meetings  were  held 
during  the  year  with  an  attendance  of  1089  farmers.  Smut  control  demonstrations 
were  conducted  in  the  county  and  1600  pounds  of  bluestone  were  supplied  for 
treating  seed  for  fall  planting.  The  farm  advisor  also  took  an  important  part 
during  the  year  in  advising  on  the  management  of  forty-three  orchards.  He  also 
supervised  the  drainage  of  sixty  acres  of  land  and  saved  nearly  $1000  to  the  farm 
bureau  in  the  purchase  of  squirrel  poison  and  bluestone. 

Future  plans  call  for  a  more  determined  fight  against  rodents  and  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Knightsen  irrigation  district.  Two  other  irrigation  districts  are  also 
being  outlined  and  an  extension  of  the  first  control  area  is  planned.  Additional 
demonstrations  are  also  being  arranged  to  cover  the  main  soil  and  climatic  con- 
ditions in  the  county  in  order  to  locate  the  best  adaptations  so  farmers  may  obtain 
the  greatest  possible  returns  from  their  efforts. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 465 

Total  farm  visits  made 719 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 545 

-     Farm  bureau  meetings  held 299 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 5,486 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 3,309 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 11,705 


28 

EL  DORADO  COUNTY 

Work  started  January,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  lias  been  of  service  to  farmers  in  demonstrating  better 
methods  of  orchard  practice,  introducing  better  livestock  into  the  county,  securing 
good  seeds,  introducing  new  forage  crops  and  encouraging  the  more  general  use 
of  summer  crops  for  livestock.  In  the  increased  food  production  campaign,  hogs, 
sheep  and  cattle  have  been  increased  although  little  could  be  done  with  wheat 
production  in  the  county.  Various  departments  have  been  organized  in  the  farm 
bureau  to  take  care  of  the  interests  of  particluar  industries,  thus  the  potato 
growers'  department  is  interested  in  securing  good  seed  potatoes,  prevention  of 
potato  diseases,  and  in  grading  and  marketing  the  crop.  A  lime  users '  department 
has  succeeded  in  securing  lime  for  members  at  a  reasonable  rate.  Lime  has  been 
proved  beneficial  in  many  parts  of  the  county  and  its  more  general  use  is  being 
promoted  by  this  department.  A  Duroc  Jersey  Swine  Breeders'  Association  has 
been  the  outgrowth  of  the  introduction  of  a  considerable  number  of  pure  bred 
Duroc  Jerseys  into  the  county  through  the  boys'  pig  clubs.  The  membership  is 
made  up  of  the  boys  who  retained  their  animals  and  of  a  number  of  interested 
farmers.  A  seed  buying  department  has  been  successful  in  securing  first-class  seed 
for  farmers.  About  forty  demonstrations  of  various  forage  crops  were  put  out 
through  this  department  last  spring.  Demonstrations  in  orchard  pruning,  spraying 
and  the  use  of  cover  crops  have  been  carried  on  by  the  farm  bureau.  A  fire 
protection  organization  of  250  members  was  organized  last  summer.  Some  300 
square  miles  were  protected  in  this  way  and  during  the  season  fifteen  fires  were 
controlled.  Some  attention  has  been  paid  to  securing  good  roads  in  the  county  and 
a  good  roads  day  was  held  last  April  at  which  time  125  men  and  thirty-four  teams 
turned  out  to  do  repair  work  on  the  public  roads. 

The  county  farm  advisor  rendered  particularly  valuable  service  in  assisting  to 
control  the  pear  blight  of  which  there  was  a  severe  outbreak  in  the  foothill  counties 
last  summer.  A  series  of  demonstratoins  in  the  control  of  this  trouble  were  held 
as  well  as  information  and  help  given  to  many  individual  farmers  on  their  farms. 
He  has  worked  with  the  various  departments  of  the  farm  bureau  in  carrying  out 
their  programmes.  He  has  encouraged  the  securing  of  a  considerable  number  of 
pure-bred  animals  for  the  county,  has  helped  in  the  erection  of  a  number  of  silos 
and  has  given  particular  attention  to  the  introduction  and  use  of  forage  crops  for 
livestock.  He  represented  the  United  States  Employment  Service  in  the  county  and 
conducted  a  thresher's  survey  for  the  Bureau  of  Markets. 

The  farm  bureau  has  laid  out  a  definite  programme  of  work  covering  orchards, 
field  crops  and  livestock.  The  county  produces  high  class  fruits,  particularly  pears, 
and  the  farm  bureau  is  interested  in  developing  this  industry  further.  More  forage 
crops,  silos  and  cooperative  grazing  in  the  national  forest  is  hoped  to  materially 
increase  the  output  of  livestock  products  for  the  county.  An  investigation  is  under 
way  with  a  view  to  the  organization  of  an  irrigation  district  and  increasing  the 
irrigation  facilities  of  the  county. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 303 

Farm  visits  made  by  farm  advisor 497 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 135 

Farm   bureau   meetings   held 125 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 3  701 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 1  224 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor 9,166 


29 


FRESNO  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  served  the  dominant  agricultural  interest  in  the  county 
through  five  pruning  demonstrations  in  orchards  and  fifteen  pruning  demonstra- 
tions in  vineyards,  covering  in  all  sixteen  days  and  attended  by  1520  persons. 
Four  orchard  meetings  and  demonstrations  were  held  on  the  control  of  tree  dis- 
eases, especially  peach  blight.  Twenty  cover  crop  demonstrations  were  located  on 
farms  belonging  to  farm  bureau  members  and  the  results  tabulated  and  reported 
upon.  Two  hundred  orchardists  attended  the  fig  institute  conducted  by  the  farm 
bureau  in  cooperation  with  the  College  of  Agriculture.  Eleven  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  cows  were  tested  through  the  cow  testing  department  with  the  result  that 
197  inferior  animals  were  eliminated  from  the  herds  in  the  county.  Ten  thousand 
jack  rabbits  were  killed  in  the  rabbit  drives  during  the  winter  and  spring  with 
a  total  saving  of  at  least  $20,000  to  the  farmers  of  the  county. 

The  county  farm  advisor  with  the  help  of  two  assistant  farm  advisors  carried 
through  the  increased  food  production  campaigns  in  addition  to  the  routine  office 
and  field  work.  By  giving  information  to  farmers  on  the  use  of  the  seed  wheat 
supply,  on  varieties  of  wheat  and  cultural  methods  adapted  to  Fresno  County,  and 
on  the  use  of  bluestone-lime  treatment  for  smut  eradication,  the  farm  advisor  has 
increased  the  prospects  of  a  large  wheat  yield  in  addition  to  the  work  done  in 
increasing  the  acreage  planted.  The  farm  advisor  directed  the  work  of  six  paid 
fire  wardens  during  the  three  months '  fire  season.  Two  hundred  and  thirty  farmers 
in  the  county  responded  to  the  campaign  to  increase  pork  production,  conducted 
through  the  farm  advisor's  office.  Sweet  sorghum  was  introduced  as  a  new  silage 
crop  on  thirty-four  farms,  465  acres  being  planted  in  all.  One  silo  raising  demon- 
stration was  conducted  which  resulted  in  the  construction  of  twelve  others.  Eighty- 
seven  specialists  on  agricultural  subjects  were  brought  into  the  county  through 
the  efforts  of  the  farm  advisor.  Advice  was  given  to  over  250  men  on  the  various 
problems  involved  in  the  successful  handling  of  cotton,  a  new  and  important  fiber 
crop  for  California. 

The  large  investment  in  vineyards  and  orchards  necessitates  an  extension  of 
the  work  in  pruning  methods,  cultural  treatment  and  fertilization.  Drainage  is 
to  be  taken  up  as  a  fundamentally  important  problem.  The  work  looking  toward 
the  improvement  of  the  soil  fertility  in  the  county  through  the  addition  of  organic 
matter  will  be  extended,  as  will  the  work  to  control  rodent,  insect  and  plant  disease 
pests  through  educational  methods,  control  measures  and  through  cooperative  effort. 
The  live-stock  auction  sales  will  be  continued. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 1,379 

Total  farm  visits  made 1,508 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 2,840 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 173 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 6,844 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 31.898 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistants 43,821 


30 


GLENN  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  is  particularly  well  organized  and  covers  most  of  the 
county.  The  plans  and  projects  of  the  farm  bureau  for  the  past  year  have  in 
general  been  adopted  as  the  practice  of  all  the  farmers  in  the  county.  The  gov- 
ernment 's  increased  production  programme  has  received  first  consideration  and 
the  county  has  responded  with  an  increase  of  8000  acres  above  the  normal  acreage 
of  wheat  as  well  as  increasing  the  number  of  hogs  kept  by  1500,  and  placing  1100 
sheep  in  small  flocks  on  farms.  This  farm  bureau  has  a  number  of  departments 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  special  industries.  The  swine  growers,  sheep  raisers, 
poultry  producers,  rice  growers  and  beekeepers  each  have  a  department  of  the 
organization  devoted  to  their  particular  interests.  A  livestock  grazing  department 
was  organized  during  the  past  season  and  a  large  number  of  farmers  were  enabled 
to  cooperatively  graze  their  stock  in  the  national  forest,  thus  increasing  the  pro- 
ducing capacity  of  their  farms.  The  Glenn  County  bureau  has  devoted  consider- 
able attention  to  the  introduction  and  improvement  of  grain  sorghums,  a  big 
tonnage  of  selected  seed  being  grown  this  year  for  which  there  is  considerable 
demand  in  other  counties.  A  grain  fire  protective  organization  was  organized, 
seventeen  rural  fire  companies  equipped  with  fire  fighting  apparatus  and  a  fire 
protection  ordinance  for  the  county  were  secured.  Campaigns  for  the  control  of 
various  pests  have  been  conducted  and  methods  of  control  demonstrated.  Fifteen 
tons  of  poison  material  were  used  in  the  control  of  grasshoppers  alone,  and  it  is 
estimated-  that  at  least  $75,000  worth  of  crops  and  young  trees  was  saved.  One 
carload  of  wool  was  collected  and  shipped  direct  to  the  government  for  small 
growers  and  the  market  department  has  been  of  much  service  to  farmers  in  assist- 
ing them  in  marketing  other  products.  Three  new  farm  bureau  centers  have  been 
organized  this  year. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  been  an  active  agent  in  all  the  work  of  the  farm 
bureau.  He  has  given  special  attention  to  the  sorghum  seed  selection,  the 
encouragement  of  diversified  farming,  orchard  improvement,  improvement  of 
livestock,  etc.,  etc.  He  has  secured  the  aid  of  specialists  from  outside  the  county 
in  controlling  crop  pests  and  in  combating  anthrax  and  hog  cholera.  Five  hun- 
dred hogs  were  vaccinated  against  cholera  and  five  anthrax  control  demonstrations 
were  held.  He  has  been  of  assistance  in  securing  twenty-five  new  silos  in  the 
county  this  year,  and  in  securing  twenty  pure  bred  sires  for  farmers.  His  office 
has  been  headquarters  for  the  food  administration  work,  farm  loan  association, 
etc.,  as  well  as  for  the  farm  bureau. 

The  farm  bureau  is  interested  in  developing  further  irrigation  in  the  county,  a 
permanent  system  of  farming  for  the  rice  area,  better  livestock  and  crops,  and 
more  efficient  methods  of  marketing. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 450 

Farm  visits  made  by  the  farm  advisor  and  assistant 774 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 827 

Farm  bureau  meetings   held 211 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 7,302 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 8,115 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 31,134 


31 


HUMBOLDT  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  incorporated  its  marketing  department  during  the 
year  and  greatly  extended  the  scope  of  business  done.  This  department  did 
$90,000  of  business  during  the  year  and  greatly  extended  the  range  of  products 
handled.  A  very  successful  dehydration  contract  for  potatoes  was  also  made  with 
the  government  in  which  thirty  tons  of  dried  product  were  turned  out.  This  netted 
farmers  $1500  over  local  market  prices.  The  annual  mass  meeting  brought  out 
from  2500  to  3000  people  who  spent  the  entire  day  listening  to  a  programme  cover- 
ing local  problems  in  agriculture.  Eodent  control  work  was  organized  and  fourteen 
field  demonstrations  were  given  of  the  use  of  poisoned  bait.  Two  successful 
apple  packing  demonstrations  were  conducted  in  the  orchard  districts  and  soil 
fertility  problems  were  given  special  consideration.  The  placing  of  small  bands 
of  sheep  on  farms  was  continued  and  198  head  were  so  placed.  The  county  farm 
bureau  also  emphasized  the  value  of  better  breeds  of  livestock  and  many  pure- 
bred animals  were  brought  into  the  county  and  distributed  among  farmers  for 
breeding  purposes.  In  addition  to  these  755  other  animals  were  either  purchased 
or  sold  through  the  farm  bureau. 

The  county  farm  advisor  actively  cooperated  with  the  farm  bureau  in  carrying 
on  its  campaigns.  Two  hundred  and  ninety-five  cows  were  tested  for  tuberculosis, 
325  hogs  were  vaccinated  for  cholera,  and  377  head  of  stock  treated  for  blackleg 
by  him.  These  demonstrations  were  for  the  purpose  of  showing  farmers  how  to 
handle  such  problems.  The  farm  advisor  assisted  in  the  management  of  fifty 
orchards  where  the  most  modern  methods  of  fruit  culture  were  put  into  use.  The 
soils  on  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  farms  were  tested  for  acidity  and  200 
farmers  used  lime  at  the  farm  advisor 's  recommendation.  Seed  potatoes  for  420 
acres  were  treated  for  disease  by  fifty-seven  farmers  and  eleven  others  planted 
200  acres  of  alfalfa  and  310  acres  of-corn  for  silage  under  his  direction.  Sixteen 
farmers  were  assisted  in  preparing  balanced  rations  for  their  dairy  cows  and 
forty-nine  followed  his  recommendations  in  planning  crop  rotations  suited  to  local 
soil  and  climatic  conditions. 

An  additional  cow  testing  association  is  being  planned  for  the  county  and  an 
improvement  is  under  way  to  make  the  county  fair  more  educational.  Plans  are 
being  arranged  for  more  extended  soil  fertility  studies  and  also  for  the  improve- 
ment in  cropping  systems  for  the  county.  Further  work  is  planned  in  animal 
diseases  and  also  in  securing  better  sires  for  breeding  purposes..  A  study  of  the 
ranges  is  also  being  planned  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  better  varieties  of 
forage  plants.  A  greater  use  of  silos  will  also  be  emphasized  and  a  campaign 
inaugurated  to  increase  the  number  of  bees  kept  in  the  county.  Six  drainage 
systems  were  planned  covering  2340  acres  of  valuable  farming  land  and  work  on 
them  will  be  carried  on  in  1919. 

Membership  in  farm  bureau 391 

Total  farm  visits  made 563 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,118 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 103 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 3  586 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 6,395 

,  Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 14,457 


32 


IMPERIAL  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  organized  and  conducted  the  largest  cow  testing 
association  in  California,  over  5000  cows  being  included  in  the  three  units.  The 
difficulty  in  keeping  testers  during  the  war  period  made  it  impossible  to  carry  the 
work  through  as  successfully  as  would  have  been  the  case  in  normal  times.  The 
marketing  department  of  the  farm  bureau  conducted  one  auction  sale  where  six 
carloads  of  hogs  valued  at  from  $15,000  to  $20,000  were  sold,  one  car  bringing 
$17.10  per  cwt.,  which  was  the  highest  price  paid  in  the  state  at  that  time.  The 
programme  for  extending  and  unifying  the  irrigation  system  as  outlined  by  the 
special  commission  appointed  by  the  Interior  Department  and  the  University  of 
California  at  the  request  of  the  farm  bureau,  has  been  carried  on  during  the  year, 
the  farm  bureau  being  represented  in  Washington  at  a  conference  called  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  to  consider  the  details  of  the  project.  The  farm  bureau 
assisted  the  regularly  constituted  authorities  in  the  handling  of  the  labor  problem 
which  was  especially  acute.  The  farm  home  department  of  the  Imperial  County 
Farm  Bureau  was  the  first  organized  in  California.  An  appropriation  was  secured 
for  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  home  demonstration  agent.  The  farm  bureau  has 
actively  assisted  in  the  organization  and  conduct  of  the  boys'  agriculture  clubs. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  directed  the  food  production  campaigns  in  the 
county  and  in  addition  carried  on  the  regular  educational  work  of  the  farm  bureau. 
The  wheat  area  was  tripled  as  a  result  of  the  wheat  campaign.  Three  thousand 
acres  were  planted  to  sweet  sorghums  and  over  100  silos  constructed  as  a  result 
of  the  silo-sorghum  campaign.  Seventy-five  tons  of  milo  maize  seed  were  selected 
and  43,000  acres  were  planted  with  this  selected  seed.  One  hundred  and  fifty  hogs 
were  placed  on  farms  as  a  result  of  the  hog  campaign.  Through  the  enlistment  of 
two  farm  advisors  and  three  assistant  farm  advisors  for  direct  service  in  the  army, 
the  work  in  the  county  has  been  discontinuous  which  has  quite  naturally  affected 
the  efficiency  of  the  farm  advisor  office. 

The  farm  bureau  has  already  arranged  for  a  drainage  survey  of  the  valley  as 
a  part  of  the  programme  for  the  coming  year.  The  solution  of  the  water  problem 
will  involve  many  new  problems  in  crop  production  which  will  require  the  estab- 
lishment of  demonstrations  in  irrigation  and  soil  management.  The  selection  of 
milo  maize  and  cotton  seed  will  be  emphasized,  as  will  also  the  improvement  of 
livestock  through  a  reorganization  of  the  cow-testing  department  and  the  con- 
tinuance of  auetion  sales. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau  : 650 

Total   farm  visits  made 927 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,562 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 108 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 5,960 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 1,150 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 17,903 


33 

KINGS  COUNTY 

Work  started  January  1,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  saved  the  farmers  of  the  county  over  $20,000  through 
the  organization  of  its  marketing  department  which  did  $186,856  worth  of  business 
during  the  year.  Eight  thousand  hogs  have  been  sold  at  farm  bureau  auction 
sales;  11,000  pounds  of  selected  milo  maize  seed  were  purchased  from  the  Univer- 
sity and  sold  to  farmers  in  the  county,  and  ninety-five  tons  of  hog  feed  were 
purchased  for  farmers  at  a  saving  of  $950.  One  hundred  thousand  acres  of 
valuable  grain  and  grass  land  were  protected  from  fire  damage  by  an  efficient  fire 
organization  including  eight  squads  of  198  members,  covering  700  square  miles. 
Seven  hundred  cows  have  been  under  test  in  the  cow  testing  department  of  the 
farm  bureau.  J  ack  rabbit  drives  started  early  in  the  spring,  resulted  in  .the  killing 
of  some  5000  rabbits.  Two  thousand  pounds  of  honey  sorghum  seed  were  dis- 
tributed through  the  farm  bureau,  and  as  a  result  of  the  sorghum  campaign  two 
sorghum  mills  were  brought  into  the  county  and  have  so  far  produced  4000  gallons 
of  sorghum  syrup. 

The  county  farm  advisor,  in  addition  to  carrying  on  the  regular  work  of  con- 
ducting meetings,  making  farm  calls  and  tending  to  office  work  has  directed  the 
special  food  production  campaigns  in  the  county.  The  wheat  area  was  very  largely 
increased  and  through  demonstrations,  personal  visits,  meetings  and  by  the  dis- 
tribution of  circulars,  the  grain  growers  have  been  furnished  facts  regarding  the 
proper  treatment  of  seed  tor  smut  as  well  as  facts  regarding  varieties,  seed  sup- 
plies and  cultural  methods.  One  hundred  and  twenty-live  farmers  purchased  025 
hogs  and  five  farmers  purchased  a  total  of  251  sheep  as  a  result  of  the  campaign 
to  increase  pork  and  wool  production.  Special  assistance  was  given  to  farmers 
who  were  growing  seven  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  castor  beans.  He  also  by 
personal  visits  and  meetings  furnished  information  to  cotton  growers  regarding 
the  handling  of  this  new  crop.  Alfalfa  variety  tests  and  demonstrations  on  the 
control  of  the  army  worm  and  grasshoppers  were  conducted  by  the  farm  advisor. 

The  development  of  the  Pine  Flat  project  on  Kings  River  will  very  largely 
increase  the  need  for  farm  bureau  work  in  this  region.  Plans  are  being  made  to 
utilize  larger  areas  on  the  west  side  by  the  more  extensive  use  of  dry  farming 
methods.  Departments  of  the  farm  bureau  will  be  organized  for  grain  growers, 
swine  raisers,  dairymen,  fruit  growers  and  others  to  bring  more  efficient  service. 
A  campaign  is  planned  to  locate  a  silo  on  every  dairy  farm  in  the  county.  Thirty- 
two  were  built  during  the  last  season.  Work  so  far  done  in  marketing  is  a  step 
in  the  right  direction  and  will  be  followed  up  by  further  efforts  as  the  needs 
demand.  The  farm  bureau  plans  to  improve  the  drainage  conditions  through 
cooperative  effort  with  the  irrigation  authorities. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 499 

Total  farm  visits  made 278 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 944 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 78 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 2,239 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 8,182 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 13,396 


34 


KERN  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  through  its  marketing  department  has  held  eighteen 
livestock  auction  sales,  has  handled  forty-five  tons  of  poisoned  barley  valued  at 
$22,789,  purchased  15,416  pounds  of  seed  of  beans,  corn,  milo  maize,  sweet 
sorghums,  and  311  sacks  of  potatoes  and  secured  supplies  of  seed  wheat  for  thirty 
grain  growers,  making  an  estimated  saving  of  $19,000  to  the  farmers  of  the  county 
on  the  $233,394  worth  of  business  done.  The  farm  bureau  committees  actively 
assisted  in  the  food  production  programme  in  the  county.  The  farm  bureau  has 
cooperated  with  the  farm  bureau  of  Kings  and  Tulare  counties  in  the  organization 
of  the  California  Farm  Bureau  Marketing  Association  which  is  handling  $100,000 
worth  of  farm  products  a  month.  The  water  conservation  committee  of  the  farm 
bureau  through  the  Office  of  Irrigation  Investigations  of  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  secured  an  engineer  for  a  detailed  investigation  of  the 
irrigation  and  drainage  situation  in  the  county.  The  farm  home  department  of 
the  farm  bureau  was  organized  and  an  appropriation  secured  for  the  expenses  of 
a  home  demonstration  agent. 

The  county  farm  advisor,  with  the  help  of  an  assistant  farm  advisor,  has 
directed  the  food  production  campaigns  of  the  county  in  addition  to  carrying  on 
the  numerous  duties  incident  to  the  regular  farm  bureau  work.  Two  hundred  and 
five  farmers  responded  to  the  pork  production  campaign  which  resulted  in  placing 
937  pigs  on  farms.  Five  demonstrations  of  the  bluestone-lime  method  of  treating 
seed  for  smut  were  conducted  as  a  part  of  the  wheat  campaign,  sixty-eight  farmers 
attending  these  demonstrations.  The  wheat  acreage  was  increased  by  2245  acres. 
Forty-nine  farmers  secured  small  flocks  of  sheep  as  a  result  of  the  sheep  cam- 
paign. Ten  pruning  demonstrations  were  attended  by  ninety-six  vineyard  men 
representing  50  per  cent  of  the  grape  growers  in  the  county.  The  farm  advisor 
gave  special  assistance  to  those  interested  in  cotton  and  castor  beans,  two  new 
crops  in  the  county.  Two  demonstrations  were  held  at  which  the  county  veterin- 
arian demonstrated  the  use  of  vaccine  for  control  of  pneumonia  in  horses,  resulting 
in  an  estimated  saving  of  over  $6000  to  the  county.  Twelve  farmers  were  induced 
to  select  milo  maize  seed  and  to  offer  this  for  sale  while  twenty-five  farmers  were 
induced  to  select  seed  for  their  own  use.  Nineteen  silos  were  erected  as  a  result  of 
the  silo  campaign  and  sweet  sorghums  were  introduced  into  the  county  as  a  new 
silage  crop  of  which  175  acres  were  planted.  The  farm  advisor  cooperated  with 
the  United  States  Employment  Agent  in  Bakersfield  in  supplying  labor  to  the 
farmers  in  the  county. 

The  programme  for  the  future  involves  general  problems  of  soil  fertility, 
drainage,  increased  production,  improvement  of  crops  through  selection  and  the 
introduction  of  better  varieties,  improvement  of  livestock  through  breeding  asso- 
ciations, and  the  selection  of  better  animals  as  well  as  the  broader  problem  of  land 
settlement  involved  in  the  extension  of  the  irrigated  area. 

Membership  of  farm  bureau 6G0 

Total  farm  visits  made 1,004 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  advice 1,109 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held • 121 

Total  attendance  at  such  meetings 6,984 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 8  367 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 34,003 


35 


LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  been  of  particular  value  during  the  year  in  bring- 
ing the  people  in  this  thickly  settled  area  into  closer  touch  with  the  activities  of 
the  food  production  and  food  conservation  branches  of  the  federal  government. 
One  meeting  of  over  five  hundred  farmers  was  held  in  order  to  adjust  difficulties 
regarding  the  marketing  of  farm  products,  especially  beans.  Fire  fighting 
organizations  were  perfected  in  the  outlying  areas  and  through  the  activity 
of  the  farm  bureau  a  strong  fire  protection  ordinance  was  passed  by  the  Board 
of  Supervisors;  signs  were  posted  in  the  areas  where  fires  are  apt  to  occur  as 
a  part  of  the  campaign.  A  cow  testing  department  was  organized  among  the 
dairymen  of  the  county  and  1163  cows  were  put  under  test.  The  farm  home 
department  of  the  farm  bureau  has  been  organized  and  funds  provided  for  carry- 
ing on  this  work.  The  farm  bureau  has  initiated  a  movement  looking  toward  the 
establishment  of  a  system  of  permanent  agriculture  including  livestock  in  the 
San  Fernando  Valley  area. 

The  county  farm  advisor  with  the  help  of  three  assistant  farm  advisors  has 
attended  to  an  immense  amount  of  detailed  work  in  meeting  requirements  for  farm 
and  office  calls,  meetings  and  answering  special  letters  of  inquiry  in  addition  to 
conducting  the  food  production  campaigns  in  the  county.  Since  Los  Angeles  is 
not  primarily  a  livestock  or  grain  center,  other  products  which  were  the  dominant 
agricultural  interests  of  the  county  required  the  greatest  attention  of  the  farm 
advisor's  office.  Nineteen  pruning  demonstrations  were  held  with  an  attendance 
of  589  people.  Five  demonstrations  for  the  control  of  scaly  bark  were  conducted 
with  very  gratifying  results.  Fifteen  fertilizer  demonstrations  on  potato  plats 
were  carried  through  with  the  result  that  the  advantage  of  organic  fertilizer  was 
very  clearly  shown.  Fifty  new  silos  were  erected  in  the  county,  sixteen  as  a  direct 
result  of  the  campaign.  Three  demonstrations  were  held  on  the  control  of  chicken- 
pox  by  vaccination,  forty-seven  poultrymen  attending.  Seven  farmers  carried 
through  the  farm  bookkeeping  project.  The  general  need  for  improving  soil  fer- 
tility through  the  use  of  cover  crops  both  in  orchards  and  on  land  devoted  to 
annual  crops  was  urged  at  meetings  and  by  personal  visits.  The  wheat  acreage 
of  the  Antelope  Valley  was  increased  and  grain  men  were  given  instruction  on  the 
best  method  of  treating  seed  for  smut.  One  hundred  and  thirty-six  pigs  were 
placed  on  farms  as  a  result  of  the  hog  campaign. 

The  calls  upon  the  farm  advisor  for  advice  on  special  problems  have  very 
greatly  increased  since  the  office  was  first  established  and  shows  a  distinct  need 
for  a  continuance  of  the  work.  The  control  of  diseases  such  as  scaly  bark, 
gumosis,  the  correction  of  unfavorable  soil  conditions,  more  efficient  irrigation  and 
drainage,  seed  and  bud  selection  are  among  the  problems  to  be  taken  up  in  the 
future. 

Membership  in  farm  bureau 2,250 

Total    visits    made 2,121 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  advice 2,816 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held  t 251 

Total  attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 9,603 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 20,184 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistants 57,821 


36 


MADERA  COUNTY 


The  county  farm  bureau  conducted  a  campaign  to.  eradicate  Eussian  thistle 
which  was  carried  through  successfully  during  the  late  summer,  some  15,000  acres 
being  covered  during  the  period  of  the  campaign.  The  farm  bureau  and  the 
farm  advisor  initiated  the  movement  but  were  assisted  by  both  the  county  super- 
visors and  the  horticultural  commissioner.  A  series  of  jack  rabbit  drives  were 
held  during  the  winter  and  spring  months  with  very  effective  results.  The  first 
month's  shipment  of  rabbits  from  the  county  amounted  to  seventeen  tons  and 
the  number  of  rabbits  killed  during  the  season  totalled  over  50,000.  The  beneficial 
effects  of  this  work  are  shown  by  the  material  decrease  in  damage  done  by  rabbits 
during  the  fall  months.  Farm  bureau  auction  sales  were  started  in  November, 
$13,000  worth  of  stock  being  handled  to  date.  Farm  bureau  committees  have 
assisted  in  wheat,  sheep  and  hog  campaigns,  and  in  the  conduct  of  the  tractor 
school  held  at  Madera.  Twenty-eight  tons  of  wheat  seed  were  secured  through  the 
farm  bureau  office  and  300  laborers  were  placed  on  farms. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  concentrated  on  the  special  increased  food  pro- 
duction campaigns.  As  Madera  County  is  a  grain  center  the  wheat  campaign  was 
especially  eriective.  In  addition  to  securing  an  increase  of  10,000  acres  in  wheat, 
the  farm  advisor  held  one  smut  control  demonstration  and  advised  many  grain 
growers  individually  on  the  best  methods  of  treating  seed.  One  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  acres  were  planted  to  treated  seed  as  a  result  of  this  work.  One 
silo  was  constructed  as  a  result  of  the  silo  campaign  and  honey  sorghum  was  intro- 
duced into  the  county  as  a  new  silage  crop.  Twelve  hundred  sheep  were  placed 
on  farms  as  a  result  of  the  sheep  campaign.  One  hundred  and  fifty  farmers  were 
given  advice  on  storing  fruits  and  vegetables;  fifty  bushels  of  milo  maize  were 
selected  and  saved  for  seed;  100  acres  were  planted  to  orchard  cover  crops  follow- 
ing the  farm  advisor's  direction.  The  farm:  advisor  vaccinated  3300  hogs  and 
advised  on  the  care  of  eleven  orchards.  The  work  during  the  year  was  handi- 
capped somewhat  by  the  change  of  farm  advisors  in  July. 

The  farm  bureau  has  endorsed  the  plans  for  the  creation  of  an  irrigation 
district  to  include  some  300,000  acres  of  land  to  be  irrigated  by  water  developed 
through  storage  in  the  San  Joaquin  Eiver.  This  development  will  be  pushed  by 
the  farm  bureau  during  the  year.  The  problem  of  land  settlement  and  intelligent 
subdivision  of  the  property  are  important  factors  to  be  considered.  The  grain 
growers'  department  of  the  farm  bureau  plans  intensive  fire  protection  in  1919, 
as  well  as  the  carrying  out  of  a  programme  for  the  bulk  handling  of  grain. 
The  mountain  center  plans  to  make  charcoal  out  of  the  large  amount  of  waste 
wood  in  the  mountains.  The  marketing  department  of  the  Madera  County  Farm 
Bureau  expects  to  continue  to  hold  auction  sales  and  will  join  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  Marketing  Association  of  the  allied  farm  bureaus  as  soon  as  the  business 
warrants  such  a  move. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 105 

Total  farm  visits  made 400 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 600 

Farm   bureau  meetings  held 140 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 7  500 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 4  593 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 20  493 


37 


MENDOCINO  COUNTY 

Work  started  February,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  instituted  a  system  of  livestock  sales  through  its 
marketing  department  which  promises  great  relief  to  the  livestock  interests.  The 
system  consists  of  pooling  shipments  and  conducting  them  to  packing  plants. 
Six  carloads  of  hogs  have  been  marketed  in  this  manner  and  careful  records  kept 
of  every  detail  from  producer  to  packer.  The  sales  during  the  year  amounted  to 
$15,458  and  brought  farmers  $875  over  local  market  offerings.  Much  interest 
was  shown  in  the  boys'  agriculture  club  work  and  a  senior  club  was  organized  for 
the  feeding  of  hogs  according  to  most  modern  methods.  Twenty  tons  of  poisoned 
barley  were  mixed  and  distributed  among  farmers  at  cost  in  the  squirrel  exter- 
mination campaign  which  was  conducted  in  cooperation  with  the  County  Horticul- 
tural Commissioner.  Three  demonstration  silos  were  constructed  in  a  campaign  to 
meet  the  needs  of  dairymen,  corn  being  raised  for  ensilage  purposes.  Plans 
have  been  formulated  to  irrigate  an  area  of  8000  acres  in  Potter  Valley  and  a  tax 
levied  to  complete  a  survey  of  the  project.  An  increased  pork  production  cam- 
paign resulted  in  the  placing  of  666  more  hogs  on  farms  than  normal.  Two 
volunteer  fire  fighting  companies  were  formed  and  equipped  by  farmers.  A 
total  of  3000  sheep  were  placed  on  farms  to  prevent  them  from  being  slaughtered 
because  of  a  shortage  of  feed.  A  pear  marketing  department  was  organized  which 
sold  2000  tons  of  pears  with  an  increase  to  farmers  of  $18,000  over  local  market 
prices. 

The  county  farm  advisor  rendered  much  assistance  to  the  farm  bureau  in 
carrying  through  its  projects.  He  also  secured  a  soil  and  drainage  survey  of 
Little  Lake  Valley  covering  an  area  of  about  6000  acres  for  the  purpose  of  devel- 
oping a  plan  to  relieve  this  valuable  land  of  excess  water.  Demonstrations  were 
carried  on  with  soy  beans,  sorghum,  corn,  blackeye  beans  and  cover  crops.  Corn 
proved  to  be  the  best  crop  for  ensilage  purposes  in  this  region.  Over  500  cows 
were  tested  for  tuberculosis,  600  hogs  were  vaccinated  for  hog  cholera  and  valuable 
assistance  rendered  by  his  discovery  that  many  deaths  among  range  hogs  were 
due  to  eating  tent  caterpillar  cocoons.  More  than  $10,000  was  saved  in  this  item 
alone  to  farmers  by  removing  their  animals  from  infected  pastures.  About  fifty 
tons  of  seed  grain  were  secured  for  fall  planting.  Twenty-six  field  demonstrations 
and  five  demonstration  meetings  with  an  attendance  of  314  occurred  in  the  county. 
Seven  of  these  were  on  pruning.  The  farm  advisor  also  gave  expert  help  in  the 
caring  for  forty-five  orchards  in  the  county  during  the  year. 

Livestock  marketing  will  be  greatly  extended  in  1919  and  further  work  done 
toward  the  drainage  of  Little  Lake  Valley  and  in  the  irrigation  of  Potter  Valley. 
Eodent  control  work  will  be  extended  with  a  plan  for  complete  extermination. 
More  silos  will  be  urged  among  dairymen  and  cover  crops  planted  by  orchardists. 
Soil  fertility  problems  will  receive  special  consideration  and  poultry  improvement 
will  be  taken  up. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 258 

Total  farm  visits  made 778 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,158 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 82 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 1,805 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 2,334 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 11,500 


38 


MERCED  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  carried  on  projects  started  last  year  in  addition 
to  giving  special  attention  to  the  desires  of  the  government  in  the  increased  food 
production  campaigns.  It  is  estimated  that  the  county  has  increased  its  wheat 
acreage  by  50,000  acres.  Over  700  sheep  were  placed  in  small  flocks  on  farms. 
This  farm  bureau  originated  rural  fire  protection  organizations  in  California. 
Last  year  this  scheme  was  put  in  operation  in  only  part  of  the  county  and  the 
results  were  so  apparent  when  compared  with  the  unprotected  districts  that 
this  year  the  organization  covered  practically  the  entire  valley  area  of  the  county. 
The  different  districts  were  organized  with  captains  and  fire  bosses,  fire  fighting 
equipment  was  distributed  and  fire  damage  was  materially  reduced.  This  farm 
bureau  also  inaugurated  systematic  work  looking  toward  jack  rabbit  control. 
Shooting  squads  were  organized  in  the  various  farm  bureau  centers  and  systematic 
drives  were  conducted.  Last  season  some  35,000  rabbits  were  destroyed.  About 
forty  tons  of  meat  and  hides  were  sold  for  a  total  of  $3500.  This  money  was 
used  for  the  purchase  of  ammunition.  A  cow  testing  association  has  been  formed 
and  the  auction  sale  of  hogs  introduced  into  the  county.  The  farm  bureau  has 
been  interested  in  the  formation  of  a  large  irrigation  district  in  Merced  which  will 
result  in  greatly  enlarging  the  irrigated  area  of  the  county. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  been  conducting  a  series  of  demonstrations  in  the 
use  of  fertilizers  on  alfalfa;  twenty-six  different  demonstrations  located  in  various 
parts  of  the  county  and  covering  the  use  of  several  different  kinds  of  fertilizer 
have  been  carried  on  all  summer,  careful  weighing  and  checking  of  the  results 
being  done.  The  assistant  farm  advisor  has  devoted  much  time  to  this  work.  Vine 
and  tree  pruning  demonstrations  attended  by  225  people  were  conducted  during 
the  fall.  Much  personal  attention  was  given  to  the  increased  food  production  cam- 
paigns. Pledges  were  secured  from  185  different  farmers  to  raise  943  more  hogs. 
Several  carloads  of  sheep  were  brought  into  the  county  and  placed  on  twenty-five 
different  farms.  The  various  farm  bureau  centers  were  organized  to  assist  in 
clearing  labor  information  and  345  laborers  were  placed  through  this  clearing 
house.  In  addition  much  time  was  given  to  the  various  war  work  drives  and  in 
assisting  the  local  draft  board  on  deferred  classification  of  men  engaged  in 
agriculture. 

The  farm  bureau  is  just  now  devoting  considerable  energy  to  the  formation  of 
a  proposed  Merced  irrigation  district.  Plans  for  the  district  have  been  com- 
pleted and  approved  by  state  and  federal  engineers.  Petitions  calling  an  election 
are  already  in  the  field.  The  organization  of  this  district  will  mean  much  to  the 
agriculture  of  Merced  County. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 550 

Farm  visits  made  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 682 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 1,535 

Farm   bureau  meetings   held 202 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 12,652 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 3,225 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 37,182 


39 

MONTEREY  COUNTY 

Work  started  April,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  directed  its  main  efforts  during  the  war  toward 
increasing  the  acreage  of  wheat  production.  This  was  accomplished  by  securing 
rust  resistant  varieties,  by  aiding  farmers  in  the  control  of  smut,  and  by  the 
attractive  prices  paid  for  grain.  Twenty-five  hundred  bushels  of  improved  wheat 
seed  were  obtained  and  distributed  among  farmers  of  the  county  and  14,885 
additional  acres  of  wheat  were  planted  as  a  result  of  the  wheat  campaign.  In 
addition  to  this  about  four  tons  of  selected  barley  seed  were  secured  and  dis- 
tributed among  six  farmers.  The  need  for  increased  mutton  and  wool  and  the 
value  of  a  small  flock  of  sheep  on  the  farm  were  set  forth  in  a  special  campaign 
which  resulted  in  the  placing  of  about  1800  sheep  on  twenty  farms.  The  first  farm 
bureau  cattle  auction  sale  in  the  state  was  conducted  by  the  marketing  department 
of  the  farm  bureau  in  June  and  seven  carloads  of  fat  cattle  were  sold  for  $10,610. 
This  meant  an  average  increase  of  about  $15  per  head  over  local  market  prices  to 
farmers.  A  hog  campaign  was  also  carried  on  and  resulted  in  the  placing  of 
seventy-one  brood  sows  and  191  pigs  on  fifty  farms.  Only  part  of  one  month 
was  available  for  this  work  so  greater  results  were  not  possible.  An  increased 
use  of  silos  was  advocated  in  the  dairy  and  cattle  districts  with  a  result  that  three 
demonstration  silos  were  built.  The  favorable  results  obtained  from  the  campaigns 
conducted  convinced  farmers  that  the  organization  filled  a  great  need  in  the 
county  and  a  membership  campaign  was  inaugurated  which  resulted  in  more  than 
half  the  farmers  of  the  county  joining  the  farm  bureau. 

The  county  farm  advisor  actively  cooperated  with  the  farm  bureau  in  carrying 
through  their  programme  for  the  year.  He  secured  pure  seed  of  varieties  adapted 
to  local  conditions  and  imported  pure  bred  sires  for  breeding  purposes  for  those 
interested  in  animal  production.  A  special  study  of  the  lime  requirements  of  soils 
throughout  the  county  was  made  and  sixty  tons  of  lime  were  distributed  among 
farmers  for  demonstration  purposes.  Some  time  was  also  spent  in  locating  lime- 
stone deposits  in  the  nearby  mountains  for  agricultural  use.  He  organized  the 
Boys'  Working  Reserve  and  cooperated  with  the  federal  labor  agent  in  securing 
help  for  the  harvesting  of  crops.  In  addition  to  numerous  miscellaneous  farm 
and  office  calls  covering  all  lines  of  farm  problems,  the  farm  advisor  attended 
thirteen  center  meetings  and  one  directors'  meeting  each  month. 

The  programme  outlined  by  the  farm  bureau  for  1919  consists  of  (1)  a  detailed 
prospecting  of  the  nearby  mountains  for  limestone  deposits  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses, (2)  a  study  of  range  conditions  with  regard  to  proper  stocking  and  desir- 
able varieties  for  forage  plants,  (3)  a  plan  for  a  wider  use  of  silos,  (4)  the 
importance  of  pure  seed,  smut  control  and  summer  fallow  in  grain  production, 
(5)  lime  requirements  of  the  county  soils,  (6)  a  cow  testing  association,  and 
(7)  a  systematic  rodent  control  campaign. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 600 

Total  farm  visits  made 348 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 107 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 77 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 9,358 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 13,162 


40 

NAPA  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  succeeded  in  placing  1199  hogs  on  farms  and  it  is 
estimated  that  2000  others  not  reported  by  pledges  were  additionally  kept  by 
farmers.  The  need  for  more  wool  and  mutton  was  met  by  placing  4539  bred 
ewes  in  small-bands  on  farms.  A  fire-fighting  organization  was  formed  to  protect 
grain  fields  and  pastures  from  loss  by  fires  in  which  twenty-three  rural  fire  units 
were  organized  and  equipped.  The  work  of  this  organization  resulted  in  the 
saving  of  many  thousands  of  dollars  in  food  products  during  the  year.  Active 
cooperation  resulted  in  the  placing  of  5651  laborers  on  farms  for  harvest  needs. 
Three  varieties  of  sweet  sorghums  and  several  of  grain  sorghums  were  tested  as 
a  possible  source  for  more  succulent  feed  for  dairy  cows.  Of  these  Red  Amber 
proved  most  desirable  under  irrigation  and  twenty  tons  per  acre  were  produced. 
One  silo  was  built  as  a  demonstration  and  others  are  now  being  planned.  One 
hundred  and  sixty-four  septic  tanks  were  built  during  the  year  making  a  total 
of  over  1000  in  the  county  to  date  for  this  campaign.  Over  six  tons  of  poisoned 
barley  were  mixed  and  sold  to  farmers  at  cost  for  squirrel  eradication  and  thirteen 
farmers  pledged  to  keep  seventy-five  stands  of  bees  in  the  county  as  demon- 
strations. The  wheat  campaign  and  smut  control  work  resulted  in  increasing  fall 
planting  by  over  5000  acres.  Soil  tests  showed  the  need  of  lime  and  214  farmers 
applied  lime  at  the  farm  advisor 's  recommendation.  The  county  was  also  pros- 
pected for  limestone  deposits.  A  dredging  of  Napa  Eiver  resulted  in  preventing 
the  flooding  of  much  valuable  land. 

The  county  farm  advisor  and  his  assistant  performed  valuable  service  in 
aiding  the  farm  bureau  to  conduct  its  campaigns.  In  addition  his  office  carried 
on  a  system  of  water  analysis  of  the  lower  Napa  River  to  determine  its  suitability 
for  irrigation.  A  number  of  successful  pruning  demonstrations  were  held  and 
instruction  was  given  on  bud  selection,  orchard  planting,  fruit  packing,  orchard 
blasting,  dehorning  of  cattle,  the  prevention  of  land  slides  and  also  the  control 
of  bean  weevil,  tent  caterpillar,  limb  canker,  and  red  spider.  Eight  drainage 
systems  were  installed  covering  279  acres  of'land  and  eighty-four  farmers  kept 
books  of  their  farming  operations  under  the  supervision  of  the  farm  advisor 's 
office.  Semi-daily  weather  reports  were  supplied  to  farmers  during  the  period 
of  prune  drying  which  saved  many  tons  of  prunes  from  damage  by  rain.  A  Boys ' 
Working  Reserve  with  sixty-two  members  greatly  relieved  the  labor  situation  dur- 
ing harvest.  The  farm  advisor  aided  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  5638  head  of 
livestock  and  in  addition  treated  248  animals  for  blackleg  and  thirty-eight  hogs 
for  cholera.  Cover  crops  on  756  acres  of  orchard  land  were  grown  and  plowed 
under  to  improve  the  soil.  The  work  was  greatly  handicapped  by  the  withdrawal 
of  the  assistant  farm  advisor  to  enter  the  army  in  midsummer. 

Analysis  of  the  Napa  River  water  will  be  continued  during  next  year  and 
special  efforts  will  be  made  to  extend  the  use  of  silos  and  the  growing  of  silage 
crops.  More  sheep  and  hogs  on  farms  and  squirrel  extermination  work  will  also 
receive  greater  attention.  Beekeeping  will  be  extended  and  a  spray  chart  covering 
Napa  County  conditions  will  be  given  attention.  Seed  selection  and  better  breeds 
of  livestock  will  also  be  continued. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 577 

Total  farm  visits  made 562 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 4,253 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 246 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 24,962 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 33,310 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 29,195 


41 


NEVADA  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  this  year  conducted  an  agricultural  survey  of  the 
county,  fairly  complete  information  on  the  entire  agricultural  area  of  the  county 
being  secured,  as  well  as  information  regarding  labor  requirements.  This  infor- 
mation has  been  of  great  benefit  in  the  campaigns  for  increased  production. 
Naturally  this  county  could  not  grow  a  large  acreage  of  wheat,  but  the  numbers 
of  both  hogs  and  sheep  kept  on  farms  were  increased.  Farmers  agreed  to  increase 
the  hogs  kept  by  500  breeding  animals,  and  700  sheep  were  placed  in  small  flocks 
on  farms.  In  cooperation  with  the  forest  service  a  comprehensive  fire  fighting 
organization  of  thirteen  districts  was  built  up  and  operated  throughout  the  fire 
season.  Due  to  this  organization  no  serious  losses  by  fire  occurred  this  year.  In 
view  of  a  threatened  shortage  of  fruit  packers,  a  school  in  fruit  packing  attended 
by  forty-eight  people  was  conducted  the  latter  part  of  July.  A  number  of  these 
students  were  hired  by  fruit  men  immediately  upon  the  close  of  the  school,  which 
proved  to  be  considerable  assistance  in  solving  the  packing  problem.  Two  cattle 
auction  sales  were  held  to  enable  owners  of  small  lots  of  stock  to  market  their 
cattle.  At  the  first  sale  159  head  of  cattle  were  offered  and  at  the  second  276 
head  were  handled.  These  were  sold  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  both  buyer  and 
seller.  The  farm  bureau  marketing  committee  has  enabled  farmers  to  get  better 
seeds,  and  to  secure  lime  at  a  rate  at  which  it  is  profitable  to  use  it  on  the  soil. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  cooperated  with  the  farm  bureau  in  its  various 
activities  and  has  given  much  individual  help  to  farmers.  He  has  worked  with 
the  orchard  men  in  controlling  pear  blight,  and  assisted  in  ten  demonstrations  in 
the  control  of  this  trouble.  He  also  conducted  demonstrations  in  tree  pruning  and 
in  the  control  of  hog  cholera,  blackleg  and  anthrax.  Three  hundred  animals  were 
vaccinated  against  blackleg.  He  was  instrumental  in  introducing  the  more  general 
growing  of  forage  crops  and  in  having  three  silos  erected.  He  has  placed  twelve 
demonstrations  on  the  effect  of  liming  the  soil  and  fifteen  cover  crop  demonstra- 
tions in  orchards. 

The  farm  bureau  is  giving  much  attention  to  the  development  of  the  fruit 
industry,  to  which  this  county  is  adapted,  and  to  the  increase  in  livestock  produc- 
tion. It  is  interested  in  planting  orchards  with  regard  to  preventing  erosion 
and  in  specializing  on  certain  varieties  of  fruit.  A  cooperative  grazing  plan  is 
under  way  to  enable  the  owners  of  foothill  farms  to  take  advantage  of  the  adjacent 
national  forest,  and  the  more  general  use  of  forage  crops  and  silos  is  encouraged. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 303 

Farm  visits  made  by  the  farm  advisor 187 

Calls  at  the  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,050 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 140 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 7,402 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 2,475 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor 6,355 


42 

ORANGE  COUNTY 

"Work  started  March,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  organized  a  state-wide  movement  for  the  capping 
of  artesian  wells  where  the  water  is  not  being  properly  utilized.  Several  thousand 
acres  of  good  land  have  been  made  useless  through  flooding  and  the  underground 
water  supply  has  been  wasted  by  the  constant  flow  of  artesian  wells  which  have 
been  allowed  to  remain  uncapped  during  the  fall  and  winter  months.  A  bill  pro- 
viding for  the  correction  of  this  condition  has  been  drawn  up  and  presented  to 
the  State  Water  Commissioner  for  his  approval  and  to  the  farm  bureaus  of  the 
state  and  will  be  introduced  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  legislature.  As  fruit  and 
truck  crop  interests  predominate  in  Orange  County  it  was  impossible  to  get  large 
results  in  the  wheat,  sheep  and  hog  campaigns. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  served  the  important  agricultural  interests  in  the 
county  through  special  demonstrations;  three  were  held  on  the  control  of  scaly 
bark  as  a  result  of  which  850  trees  have  been  treated  in  the  county  following  the 
recommendations  given ;  four  demonstrations  were  held  on  the  control  of  gummosis ; 
one  pruning  demonstration  was  attended  by  two  hundred  orchardists — these  were 
followed  by  seven  similar  demonstrations  conducted  by  the  farm  advisor;  there 
were  five  well  attended  demonstrations  on  the  control  of  codling  moth,  which  has 
become  a  very  important  factor  in  the  walnut  industry;  five  demonstrations  were 
held  of  interest  to  poultry  men,  three  for  the  control  of  chickenpox  by  vaccination, 
and  two  on  the  control  of  insect  parasites;  a  demonstration  was  conducted  on  the 
control  of  European  foul  brood,  attended  by  a  hundred  and  fifty  beemen;  and 
four  tractor  demonstrations  were  held  as  a  part  of  the  work  done  to  solve  the 
labor  problem  through  the  use  of  labor-saving  machinery;  three  demonstrations 
were  held  on  the  control  of  Johnson  grass,  Bermuda  grass  and  wild  morning-glory. 
One-quarter  of  the  farm  calls  met  by  the  farm  advisor  were  on  soil  problems 
especially  on  the  control  of  alkali  in  the  beet  and  bean  fields.  One  demonstration 
was  held  on  irrigation  methods  and  was  attended  by  two  hundred  and  fifty 
orchardists,  followed  by  several  minor  farm  meetings  on  the  same  problem. 

The  work  of  the  farm  bureau  and  the  farm  advisor  in  the  future  will  include 
special  problems  in  soil  management,  in  the  control  of  tree  diseases  such  as 
gummosis,  scaly  bark  and  oak  root  fungus,  control  of  insect  pests,  irrigation 
and  drainage  problems,  rejuvenation  of  old  orchards,  bud  and  seed  selection  as 
well  as  the  problems  involved  in  farm  management  in  a  section  where  land  values 
are  unusually  high  and  where  specialized  industries  are  the  rule.  The  necessity  for 
individual  advice  to  farmers  is  here  perhaps  even  more  important  than  in  the  more 
newly  developed  sections  of  the  state. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 704 

Total  farm  calls  made „..„„.. 440 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 534 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 118 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 4,307 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 8,833 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 8,702 


43 


PLACER  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  devoted  its  entire  attention  for  the  past  year  to 
activities  directly  connected  with  war  work.  In  addition  to  increased  food  pro- 
duction campaigns,  the  Liberty  Bond  campaigns,  Eed  Cross  drives,  and  other  war 
activities  were  handled  throughout  the  rural  districts  by  this  organization.  The 
bureau  has  continued  to  grow  and  gain  added  strength  during  the  year  and  is  the 
most  representative  organization  in  the  county.  Some  of  the  major  projects 
adopted  were  those  to  handle  the  labor  needs  of  the  county,  increase  the  number 
of  hogs,  sheep  and  poultry  kept  on  farms,  the  increase  in  the  wheat  acreage  and  a 
grain  fire  protection  organization.  The  farm  bureau  committee  arranged  for 
placing  a  labor  agent  in  Newcastle  with  assistants  in  Auburn  and  Eoseville  and 
with  570  applications  for  labor  these  agencies  were  successful  in  supplying  545 
laborers.  Available  labor  was  kept  distributed  and  busy  thus  preventing  loss  of 
labor  and  loss  of  crops.  Wheat  plantings  were  increased  by  4000  acres,  and 
1078  additional  hogs  were  kept  on  farms.  A  fire  protective  organization  of 
twenty-four  rural  companies  was  perfected,  and  an  ordinance  of  fire  regulations 
prepared  which  was  adopted  by  the  county  supervisors  and  a  county  fire  warden 
appointed.  The  fire  loss  in  the  county  was  reduced  to  a  minimum.  In  addition 
the  farm  bureau  has  many  other  activities.  Demonstrations  in  various  methods 
of  orchard  practice,  such  as  pruning,  spraying  and  cover  crops  are  being  carried 
on.  A  number  of  excursions  of  farmers  both  local  and  from  other  counties  have 
been  conducted  through  the  orchard  districts.  A  farm  home  department  has  been 
organized  through  which  the  women  are  working  along  lines  of  interest  to  them. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  been  of  big  value  to  the  county  in  demonstrating 
improved  methods  of  pruning  orchard  trees.  It  is  estimated  that  Placer  County 
made  several  thousand  dollars  last  year  through  the  general  adoption  of  this 
practice  in  the  orchard  districts.  He  noted  that  thrips  were  the  cause  of  big 
losses  that  were  occurring  in  peaches  each  year  and  demonstrated  how  this  pest 
could  be  controlled  by  spraying.  He  demonstrated  the  value  of  lime  on  various 
soils,  and  is  carrying  on  a  series  of  demonstrations  of  the  use  of  fertilizers.  Three 
hundred  tons  of  lime  were  put  on  the  land  during  the  past  year,  450  cattle  were 
vaccinated  against  blackleg  and  130  hogs  vaccinated  for  cholera.  Boys'  and  girls' 
agriculture  clubs  organized  during  the  year  have  a  membership  of  146. 

At  this  time  the  farm  bureau  is  interested  in  the  organization  of  an  irrigation 
district  and  securing  a  more  stable  and  abundant  supply  of  water  for  the  county. 
A  community  packing  house  is  being  tried  out  to  secure  more  uniform  and 
efficient  methods  of  packing  fruit. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 544 

Farm  visits  made  by  the  farm  advisor 793 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,597 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 205 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 5,944 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 7,733 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor 15,502 


44 


RIVERSIDE  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  through  active  committee  work  has  stimulated  the 
production  of  livestock  both  as  a  part  of  the  state-wide  programme  and  as  a  means 
of  improving  the  fertility  of  the  soils  in  the  county.  Eleven  hundred  and  fifty- 
five  cows  have  been  tested  through  the  cow  testing  department.  The  organization 
of  a  drainage  district  covering  about  1000  acres  in  the  west  Kiverside  section, 
which  was  started  last  year,  has  been  carried  forward.  Fire  protection  for  the 
grain  and  brush  lands  was  put  into  the  hands  of  the  farm  bureau  by  the  county 
supervisors  who  employed  one  fire  warden.  In  the  rodent  control  campaign  8352 
pounds  of  poisoned  grain  were  distributed  to  farmers  in  the  county.  The  value  of 
business  done  by  the  farm  bureau  amounted  to  $31,500.  One  grain  elevator  for 
the  bulk  handling  of  grain  was  constructed  at  Murietta  by  members  of  the  farm 
bureau  largely  as  a  result  of  the  publicity  given  this  matter  during  the  spring 
conference.  The  farmers  of  the  Nuevp  district  were  given  assistance  in  the  organ- 
ization of  a  potato  growers'  association.  Daily  market  reports  have  been  posted 
in  public  places  in  each  farm  bureau  center.  The  farm  home  department  of  the 
farm  bureau  was  organized  and  funds  were  provided  for  carrying  on  this  work. 

The  county  farm  advisor,  with  the  help  of  one  assistant,  has  directed  the  food 
production  campaigns  for  the  county  in  addition  to  carrying  on  the  routine  work 
of  the  farm  bureau.  Although  Eiverside  is  not  a  livestock  or  wheat  county  good 
results  were  secured  in  the  wheat,  sheep  and  hog  campaigns.  Demonstrations  on 
the  control  oil  smut  were  held  in  connection  with  the  wheat  campaign  and  the  area 
devoted  to  wheat  was  increased  by  1800  acres.  One  hundred  and  twenty-six 
orchardists  were  reached  through  deciduous  pruning  demonstrations.  Two  olive 
pruning  demonstrations  were  attended  by  forty-nine  people.  One  silo  filling 
demonstration  was  conducted  by  the  farm  advisor  and  four  silos  were  constructed 
as  a  result  of  the  silo  campaign.  Twelve  farmers  selected  milo  maize  seed  follow- 
ing the  directions  of  the  farm  advisor.  Ten  demonstrations  of  judging,  feeding 
and  general  management  of  dairy  cattle,  and  three  demonstrations  of  the  use  of 
self-feeders  for  hogs  were  held  by  the  farm  advisor;  125  people  attended  these 
later  demonstrations.  Two  demonstrations  of  the  problem  of  culling  of  poultry 
flocks,  three  demonstrations  of  the  control  of  chickenpox  and  insect  parasites,  and 
six  demonstrations  of  poultry  management  were  conducted  by  experts  brought 
into  the  county.  Seventeen  alfalfa  fertilization  demonstrations  were  located  in 
the  county. 

Work  for  the  future  involves  the  improvement  of  soil  fertility  through  the 
increased  introduction  of  livestock  into  the  agriculture  of  the  county,  the  providing 
of  marketing  facilities  for  the  miscellaneous  products  of  the  county,  and  the 
improvement  of  the  conditions  of  the  citrus  and  deciduous  orchards  through 
pruning,  cultural  and  irrigation  demonstrations.  The  project  for  the  control  of 
gummosis  and  scaly  bark  has  been  adopted  and  will  be  carried  on. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 768 

Total   farm  visits  made 396 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  advice 2,237 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 141 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 4,457 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 1,928 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 32,755 


45 


SACRAMENTO  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  devoted  most  of  its  energies  to  the  problems  of 
the  colonists  and  the  smaller  farmers  in  the  county,  in  addition  to  the  govern- 
ment's increased  food  production  campaign.  A  big  acreage  of  wheat  for  the  1919 
crop  has  been  promised  although  the  increase  in  livestock  production  is  relatively 
small.  Poultry  production  has  been  stimulated  to  a  considerable  extent  largely 
through  demonstrations  conducted  with  poultry  clubs.  The  farm  bureau  has  taken 
an  active  part  in  fostering  boys'  and  girls'  agriculture  clubs  throughout  the 
county,  making  this  one  of  its  major  projects.  Some  forty-three  different  clubs 
have  been  organized  and  have  successfully  demonstrated  the  practicability  of  keep- 
ing pigs  and  poultry  and  the  growing  of  vegetables  on  the  small  farms.  The  pig 
clubs  have  shown  an  average  net  profit  of  $10  per  pig  for  the  ninety-one  members 
concerned.  A  total  profit  of  $2380  was  shown  by  the  agriculture  clubs  of  the 
county.  Various  other  demonstrations  have  been  conducted,  including  orchard 
pruning,  the  use  of  lime  and  control  of  hog  cholera.  One  tractor  demonstration 
was  conducted  in  which  seven  different  tractors  were  used.  The  acreage  of  grain 
sorghum  was  increased  from  500  to  2000  acres.  One  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of 
sweet  sorghum  were  planted  to  demonstrate  the  value  of  this  crop  for  use  in  silos. 
Several  farm  bureau  silos  were  erected.  Five  carloads  of  lime  have  been  secured 
for  members  and  f  orty-.?ix  demonstration  plots  on  the  use  of  lime  started  in  various 
sections  of  the  county.  One  cow  testing  association  has  been  formed  which  at 
present  has  thirty-two  members  and  is  testing  1000  cows. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  promoted  the  various  projects  of  the  farm  bureau. 
In  addition  to  the  many  individual  calls  for  information  and  advice  he  has  con- 
ducted several  surveys  for  the  government.  A  complete  thresher  survey  of  the 
county  was  made  showing  the  acreage  and  yield  of  the  grain  crops  in  the  county. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  hogs  were  vaccinated  for  cholera,  sixty  cattle  were  vacci- 
nated against  blackleg,  and  200  cows  were  tested  for  tuberculosis.  He  ran  a  series 
of  demonstrations  in  control  of  poultry  troubles,  during  which  1300  hens  were 
vaccinated  for  chickenpox.  The  farm  advisor's  office  was  of  considerable  help  in 
solving  the  labor  problem  and  375  boys  were  enrolled  in  the  Boys'  Working 
Eeserve.  These  boys  were  sent  out  to  farms  during  the  summer.  In  addition 
many  younger  boys  were  sent  out  on  Saturdays,  particularly  during  fruit  picking. 
The  assistant  farm  advisor  has  devoted  a  large  portion  of  his  time  to  the  boys' 
and  girls '  agriculture  clubs,  the  value  of  which  lias  already  been  demonstrated. 

The  farm  bureau  is  interested  in  securing  better  transportation  and  market 

facilities  for  the  smaller  farmers  in  the  county,  and  in  the  proper  development 

of  large  tracts  of  land  that  are  being  subdivided.     A  new  center  is  being  organized 

in  the  city  of  Sacramento  that  will  work  in  close  touch  with  the  county  Chamber 

of  Commerce. 

* 
Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 300 

Farm  visits  made  by  the  farm  advisor  and  assistant 1,565 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,846 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 269 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 10,866 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 44,429 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor  and  assistant 35,318 


46 


SAN  BERNARDINO  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  initiated  a  movement  looking  toward  the  organization 
of  a  drainage  district  covering  4000  acres  of  water-logged  land  just  west  of  the 
city  of  San  Bernardino.  Six  fire  fighting  units  were  organized  through  the  farm 
bureau,  five  for  fighting  brush  fires  and  one  for  grain  areas;  two  auto  trailers 
equipped  for  fire  fighting  work  were  purchased  and  three  fires  were  put  out  which 
bid  fair  to  cause  considerable  damage  in  the  San  Bernardino  watershed.  Poisoned 
barley  was  handled  by  the  farm  bureau  at  the  request  of  the  Horticultural  Com- 
missioner and  was  sold  at  cost  to  farmers.  Three  hundred  and  fifty  cows  were 
tested  by  an  arrangement  with  the  cow  testing  association  of  the  Riverside  County 
Farm  Bureau.  A  grasshopper  campaign  in  Victor  Valley  resulted  in  the  saving  of 
several  hundred  tons  of  hay  which  otherwise  would  have  been  destroyed  through 
the  ravages  of  this  pest.  Four  or  five  hundred  acres  of  land  were  burned  over 
by  distillate  spray  and  the  young  grasshoppers  exterminated  on  the  breeding 
grounds.  The  farm  home  department  of  the  farm  bureau  was  organized  and 
funds  provided  for  carrying  on  the  work. 

The  county  farm  advisor  found  some  difficulty  in  urging  the  statewide  crop 
production  campaign  in  a  county  where  80  per  cent  of  the  farm  produce  is  citrus. 
The  area  of  wheat,  however,  was  increased  in  the  general  farming  area.  Two 
hundred  and  fifty-one  hogs  were  placed  on  farms  through  the  hog  campaign,  and 
375  sheep  were  placed  on  farms  in  bands  of  from  ten  to  forty,  and  general  live- 
stock improvement  was  accomplished  through  demonstrations  in  judging  and 
selecting  animals.  Twenty-one  farmers  planted  one  hundred  acres  of  selected 
sorghum  as  a  result  of  the  sorghum  campaign.  Two  silo  demonstrations  were 
conducted  by  the  farm  advisor  resulting  in  the  construction  of  five  others. 
Farmers  in  the  desert  sections  were  given  assistance  in  leveling  their  land  and 
preparing  it  for  irrigation.  Seven  poultry  demonstrations  were  conducted  for  the 
purpose  of  improving  feeding  methods,  introducing  the  practice  of  culling  flocks 
at  stated  periods  and  of  breeding  from  the  best  birds  for  greater  egg  production. 
Four  hundred  and  forty-six  fruit  men  attended  eleven  pruning  demonstrations, 
conducted  through  the  farm  advisor's  office  and  a  general  project  for  the  control 
of  scaly  bark  and  gummosis  was  adopted. 

The  work  planned  for  the  future  contemplates  an  extension  of  service  to  the 
orchard  districts  of  the  county.  .Pruning  demonstrations  will  be  continued  and 
the  project  for  the  control  of  gummosis  and  scaly  bark  will  be  carried  forward. 
Demonstrations  of  the  use  of  both  winter  and  summer  cover  crops  will  be  located 
and  later  a  campaign  for  increasing  plantings  will  be  inaugurated  if  the  demon- 
strations indicate  the  advisability  of  the  practice.  The  drainage  project  will  be 
carried  on  and  work  undertaken  looking  toward  the  permanent  improvement  of 
soil  fertility. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 591 

Total  farm  visits  made 699 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 913 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 115 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 3,690 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 4,222 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 15,496 


47 


SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY 


The  county  farm  bureau  assisted  in  the  marketing  of  20,000  bags  of  beans 
through  the  organization  of  a  bean  growers'  association.  A  three-day  food  pro- 
duction trip  was  conducted  through  the  county ;  nine  different  farm  bureau  centers 
being  visited  for  the  purpose  of  acquainting  the  members  of  the  farm  bureau  with 
the  results  of  farm  bureau  demonstrations.  Effective  fire  fighting  units  were 
organized  in  all  sections  of  the  county  with  the  result  that  practically  no  loss 
occurred  this  year.  A  land-leasing  campaign  was  initiated  for  the  purpose  of 
increasing  the  average  period  of  tenure  from  one  year  to  three  or  four  years  in 
order  to  give  the  leasors  of  land  an  opportunity  for  improving  their  soils  by  the 
adoption  of  rotation  of  crops.  The  farm  home  department  of  the  farm  bureau 
was  organized  and  an  appropriation  secured  for  the  expenses  of  a  home  demon- 
stration agent. 

The  county  farm  advisor,  with  the  help  of  an  assistant  farm  advisor  for  a 
portion  of  the  year,  carried  through  the  special  food  production  campaigns  in 
addition  to  meeting  the  demands  for  farm  calls,  meetings  and  miscellaneous  work. 
The  grain  growers  were  instructed  in  the  use  of  bluestone-lime  method  for  treating 
smut  as  well  as  given  advice  regarding  varieties  and  cultural  methods.  Seven 
flocks  of  sheep  were  placed  on  farms  as  result  of  the  sheep  campaign.  Four  silos 
were  constructed  and  200  acres  of  sweet  sorghums  planted  as  a  result  of  the  silo- 
sorghum  campaign.  Methods  of  vaccinating  for  chickenpox  were  demonstrated  at 
twelve  meetings  of  poultrymen.  Six  meetings  in  addition  to  a  week's  short  course 
were  held  for  bee  men  where  methods  of  controlling  European  foul  brood  were 
demonstrated.  A  series  of  deciduous  pruning  demonstrations  was  conducted. 
Twenty  cover  crop  demonstrations  were  located  by  the  farm  advisor  in  an  endeavor 
to  find  out  what  cover  crops  could  be  most  successfully  used  in  adding  the  very 
greatly  needed  organic  matter  to  the  upland  soils.  The  farm  advisor  assisted  in 
the  handling  of  the  labor  problem  through  cooperation  with  the  regularly  consti- 
tuted authorities. 

Plans  for  the  future  work  include  the  extended  use  of  demonstrations  of 
methods  of  increasing  the  organic  content  of  the  soils.  The  work  done  in  the  past 
in  providing-  nutritive  grasses  for  the  range  sections  of  the  county  will  be  carried 
forward.  Seed  selection,  the  use  of  fertilizers  and  the  adoption  of  better  cultural 
methods  will  be  urged  for  the  general  field  crops.  Pruning  demonstrations  will 
be  continued  and  an  effort  will  be  made  to  correct  the  existing  evils  in  land 
subdivision. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau - 

Total  farm  visits  made : 1^162 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 809 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held „ 

Total  attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 4,308 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 2>011 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 21,458 


48 


SAN  JOAQUIN  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  organization  work 
among  farmers.  The  California  Bean  Growers'  Association  had  its  inception  in 
the  farm  bureau  of  this  county  and  active  cooperation  has  been  extended  to  many 
other  farmers '  associations  throughout  the  state.  Cream  pooling  associations  were 
formed  in  the  farm  bureau  and  later  were  absorbed  by  the  California  Milk  Pro- 
ducers' Association.  Food  "production  and  conservation  campaigns  were  handled 
through  the  farm  bureau,  the  president  of  the  farm  bureau  being  also  food  admin- 
istrator for  the  county.  The  quota  of  increased  wheat  acreage  was  practically 
doubled  and  big  results  were  obtained  in  the  increase  of  both  hogs  and  sheep. 
Three  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty  sheep  were  placed  in  small  flocks  on 
farms.  The  organization  has  for  some  time  been  interested  in  more  livestock 
production  and  diversified  agriculture.  The  number  of  silos  in  the  county  has 
been  increased  from  forty-seven  in  1916  to  113  at  the  present  time,  and  a  number 
of  forage  and  silage  crops  have  been  introduced.  Special  meetings  have  been  held 
for  the  growers  of  specialized  crops,  particularly  tomatoes  and  sugar  beets  and 
the  acreage  of  these  crops  was  greatly  increased.  A  keen  interest  has  been  taken 
in  the  development  of  the  irrigation  districts  in  the  county.  Demonstrations  of 
various  kinds  have  been  conducted  including  vine  and  tree  pruning,  spraying  and 
methods  of  preparing  land  for  irrigation.  A  comprehensive  series  of  demonstra- 
tions of  the  use  of  fertilizers  on  alfalfa  is  being  conducted  on  the  county  farm. 
Hog  cholera  has  practically  been  brought  under  control  in  the  county. 

The  county  farm  advisor  and  two  assistants  have  been  unable  to  keep  up 
with  the  demands  made  upon  them.  One  of  the  assistants  had  direct  charge  of 
the  increased  livestock  campaigns  while  the  other  had  charge  of  the  silo  sorghum 
campaign,  agriculture  clubs  and  looking  after  the  war  gardens  in  the  county. 
Nine  agriculture  clubs  with  a  total  membership  of  sixty-three  were  organized.  The 
farm  advisor  was  able  to  be  of  considerable  help  to  farmers  in  the  new  irrigation 
district  at  Tracy  planning  a  number  of  irrigation  systems  for  farmers  and  giving 
information  as  to  the  proper  applications  of  water  to  the  land.  Largely  through 
his  influence  a  considerable  acreage  of  forage  crops  was  grown  in  this  district  this 
summer.  He  assisted  in  establishing  a  branch  of  the  Women's  Land  Army  at 
Lodi  to  provide  labor  during  fruit  picking  season.  Many  calls  for  information 
from  outside  the  county  were  taken  care  of  and  no  less  than  thirty-seven  special 
reports  were  rendered  to  either  state  or  government  officials. 

The  question  of  drainage  is  beginning  to  be  of  importance  in  the  older  irrigated 
sections  and  plans  for  two  drainage  systems  are  before  the  farm  bureau  at  this 
time.  The  organization  is  also  interested  in  diversifying  the  agriculture  of  the 
Island  district  where  various  conditions  prevent  truck  cropping  going  on  in- 
definitely. The  acreage  of  Indian  corn  in  this  section  increased  from  8000  acres 
in  1917  to  25,000  in  1918.  It  is  also  hoped  to  further  increase  the  acreage  of 
irrigated  land  in  the  county. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 763 

Farm  visits  made  by  farm  advisor  and  assistants 2,197 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 3,599 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 219 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 10,899 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 8,630 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor  and  assistants 50,169 


49 


SANTA  CRUZ  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  placed  1000  sheep  in  small  bands  on  farms  and  also 
1200  additional  hogs  among  farmers  as  part  of  the  campaigns  to  increase  food 
production.  The  soils  of  the  county  were  examined  for  acidity  and  fifteen  liming 
demonstrations  were  started.  A  survey  was  also  made  of  the  nectar  bearing 
plants  of  the  county  which  indicated  a  possible  increase  of  10,000  stands  of  bees 
in  the  county.  Farm  bureau  members  inaugurated  a  good  roads  day  and  per- 
formed $2200  in  work  on  the  county  roads  free.  They  also  formed  a  voluntary 
hre  fighting  organization  for  the  protection  of  grain  fields,  pastures  and  forests 
from  fire  and  as  a  result  losses  from  this  source  were  reduced  to  one-third  that  of 
any  year  since  1912.  Nine  silos  were  built  in  the  county  and  the  grain  acreage 
was  increased  about  600  per  cent  as  a  result  of  campaigns  along  these  lines.  The 
farm  home  department  succeeded  in  placing  16,000  additional  hens  in  small  flocks 
on  farms  besides  providing  a  means  for  the  canning  of  26,799  quarts  of  fruits  and 
vegetables  as  a  result  of  its  special  campaigns. 

The  county  farm  advisor  gvae  assistance  to  the  farm  bureau  in  all  of  the 
projects  which  were  undertaken.  He  held  a  series  of  pruning  demonstrations  and 
supervised  the  handling  of  100  orchards  where  the  most  modern  methods  were 
followed  in  their  care.  He  also  organized  a  Boys'  Working  Reserve  of  200  mem- 
bers who  with  225  transient  laborers,  also  secured  by  him,  assisted  greatly  in  the 
harvesting  of  crops.  A  poisonous  plant  survey  was  made  along  the  coast  and 
resulted  in  the  isolation  of  several  plant  varieties  which  had  been  causing  the 
death  of  many  cattle  and  sheep  in  that  region.  Pastures  and  grazing  areas  were 
studied  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  their  carrying  capacity  and  to  introduce 
grasses  which  will  give  more  feed.  Many  other  minor  investigations  along  the 
lines  of  plant  diseases,  crop  rotation,  better  methods  of  tillage  and  rodent  control 
were  conducted  which  resulted  in  a  large  saving  of  crops.  In  addition  to  the 
above,  the  farm  advisor  attended  twelve  center  meetings  and  one  directors'  meet- 
ing each  month,  besides  answering  numerous  farm  and  office  calls.  The  success 
of  the  farm  bureau  may  be  better  understood  when  it  is  known  that  the  member- 
ship nearly  doubled  during  the  year  without  any  special  effort  to  bring  in  new 
members. 

Plans  are  now  under  way  for  the  development  of  an  effective  marketing 
department  and  a  continuation  of  the  work  on  liming  will  be  carried  on  in  1919. 
Demonstrations  in  beekeeping  will  also  be  continued  as  will  also  a  comprehensive 
plan  for  the  improvement  of  poultry.  Morning  glory  control  work  on  about  1000 
acres  of  badly  infested  land  will  be  an  important  future  project  as  will  also  work 
in  exterminating  rodents.  Continued  work  on  the  reclamation  of  400  acres  of 
marsh  land  started  this  year  will  be  continued  and  also  special  attention  to  straw- 
berry diseases  in  the  Pajaro  Valley. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 500 

Total  farm  visits  made 455 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 1,012 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 142 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 6,318 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 7,675 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 14,338 


50 

SHASTA  COUNTY 

Work  started  December,  1917 

The  county  farm  bureau  covers  a  large  territory  and  has  centers  on  both  sides 
of  the  mountains.  Perhaps  the  most  outstanding  result  of  farm  bureau  work  has 
been  the  bringing  of  farmers  in  closer  touch  with  each  other  and  giving  them  a 
better  acquaintance  with  the  agricultural  problems  of  the  county  and  uniting  their 
efforts  to  increase  agricultural  efficiency.  Farmers  all  over  the  county  have  worked 
together  to  further  the  government's  programme  for  increased  food  production. 
The  acreage  in  wheat  has  been  increased,  more  hogs  and  sheep  are  being  kept  on 
farms,  sweet  sorghums  have  been  introduced,  one  mill  to  manufacture  sorghum 
syrup  has  been  built,  better  seed  has  been  procured  for  farmers  and  a  fire  protec- 
tive organization  of  350  members  has  been  perfected.  Labor  committees  have 
been  appointed  in  the  various  farm  bureau  centers  to  cooperate  with  the  United 
States  Employment  Service.  One  far-reaching  piece  of  work  has  been  the  con- 
ducting of  demonstrations  in  the  proper  preparation  of  land  for  irrigation  on  the 
County  Hospital  Farm  near  Redding.  United  States  irrigation  engineers  super- 
vised the  work  and  farmers  were  shown  proper  methods  of  levelling  and  checking 
land,  construction  of  ditches,  headgates,  etc.,  and  proper  methods  of  applying 
water.  A  free  market  has  been  established  in  Eedding  by  which  both  the  producer 
and  consumer  have  profited.  The  farm  bureau  has  furnished  an  organization 
through  which  the  Food  Administration  could  work  in  solving  the  wheat  situation 
in  the  Fall  River  Valley.  Community  hog  auction  sales  have  been  inaugurated, 
the  first  sales  being  held  at  Cottonwood  on  December  3.  A  farm  home  department 
has  been  organized  in  the  farm  bureau  and  has  a  large  membership  among  the 
women  of  the  county.  An  appropriation  was  secured  from  the  supervisors  to 
cover  the  expenses  of  a  farm  home  demonstration  agent  and  one  has  been 
appointed  for  the  county. 

The  farm  advisor  has  given  much  information  and  help  to  individual  farmers 
throughout  the  county.  He  has  had  a  particularly  large  number  of  calls  from  farm- 
ers in  the  new  Anderson-Cottonwood  Irrigation  District.  He  has  introduced  a  more 
general  growth  of  summer  crops  throughout  this  district  to  assist  farmers  in  tiding 
over  until  the  land  is  prepared  and  a  stand  of  alfalfa  secured.  He  has  been 
active  in  assisting  farmers  to  market  their  products,  particularly  livestock.  Under 
his  direction  the  members  of  the  Fall  River  center  collected  and  marketed  800 
hogs  at  one  time  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  both  buyer  and  seller.  He  has 
cooperated  with  the  county  horticultural  commissioner  in  the  campaign  to  eradicate 
ground  squirrels  and  to  secure  help  for  farmers  in  the  county  to  control  the  out- 
break of  grasshoppers  last  summer.  He  has  assisted  in  the  construction  of  five 
farm  bureau  silos  in  the  county. 

The  farm  bureau  is  interested  in  the  further  development  of  irrigation  in  the 
county,  in  increasing  the  livestock  carrying  capacity  by  the  introduction  of  more 
forage  crops,  use  of  silos,  the  improvement  of  range  conditions  and  enlarging 
marketing  facilities  for  the  farmer. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 576 

Total  number  of  farm  visits  made 420 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 247 

Number  of  farm  bureau  meetings  held 175 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 6,753 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 4^854 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 11,'560 


51 


SOLANO  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  saved  many  thousands  of  dollars  to  farmers  by 
suppressing  grain  and  range  fires.  This  was  accomplished  by  an  effective  fire 
fighting  organization  with  equipment  furnished  by  the  county  supervisors  and 
distributed  at  danger  points  throughout  the  county.  As  a  result  of  the  hog 
campaign  988  additional  hogs  were  placed  on  farms  to  help  meet  the  shortage 
in  pork.  Commercial  fertilizer  was  tried  on  the  adobe  soils  in  the  Montezuma 
hills  but  unfavorable  weather  conditions  made  the  results  obtained  unreliable. 
Wheat  planting  was  increased  by  several  thousand  acres  for  the  1919  crop  and 
about  3800  bushels  of  seed  were  brought  in  the  county  and  distributed  among 
farmers.  Special  smut  control  demonstrations  were  held  throughout  the  county 
and  resulted  in  the  using  of  a  large  amount  of  bluestone  and  lime  in  order  to 
reduce  losses  from  this  source.  The  campaign  to  increase  mutton  and  wool  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  many  farmers  to  place  small  flocks  of  sheep  on  their  farms. 
Very  successful  results  were  secured  in  the  control  of  rodents  and  it  is  now  held 
that  75  per  cent  of  this  pest  has  been  exterminated  in  the  county.  The  county 
farm  bureau  also  urged  farmers  to  secure  better  breeds  of  livestock  and  active 
work  along  this  line  resulted  in  bringing  a  large  number  of  pure  bred  animals  into 
the  county  for  breeding  purposes.  Five  hundred  and  twenty-five  head  of  livestock 
were  handled  by  the  marketing  department. 

The  county  farm  advisor  conducted  a  wheat  seed  selection  campaign  and 
isolated  two  desirable  strains  of  club  wheat  which  are  to  be  propagated.  Very 
satisfactory  results  were  secured  in  the  eradication  of  wild  artichoke  and  certain 
other  perennial  weeds  by  the  use  of  a  low  grade  distillate.  Several  hundred  acres 
of  wild  artichockes  were  entirely  destroyed  during  the  year  by  this  method.  Con- 
siderable attention  was  also  given  to  the  study  of  soil  fertility  problems  and  many 
lime  demonstrations  and  fertilizer  tests  were  outlined.  The  farm  advisor  cooper- 
ated with  local  labor  agencies  in  meeting  the  demands  of  farmers  for  harvest  needs 
and  no  serious  results  from  this  source  occurred.  Thirteen  field  demonstrations 
covering  lime,  fertilizers,  tillage,  subsoiling  and  wheat  selection  were  conducted 
during  the  year  in  the  county  and  will  be  continued  through  1919.  The  farm 
advisor  secured  an  increase  of  twenty-five  per  cent  in  yield  of  wheat  from  plots 
under  special  treatment. 

Plans  for  future  work  includes  a  continuation  of  wheat  selection,  further  work 
in  the  control  of  rodents  and  the  introduction  of  more  livestock  on  farms.  Soil 
fertility  problems  will  receive  consideration  and  special  methods  of  tillage  and 
subsoiling  will  be  carried  on.  Fertilizer  tests  and  liming  demonstrations  will 
be  extended  and  further  work  will  be  done  in  the  control  of  weeds.  Spraying  and 
cover  crop  projects  will  be  conducted  in  the  orchard  districts  and  a  source  of 
limestone  sought  for  local  agricultural  needs. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 320 

Total  farm  visits  made 355 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 471 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 33 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 718 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 4,506 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 12,922 


52 


SONOMA  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  conducted  a  series  of  campaigns  important  among 
which  was  a  plan  to  increase  pork  production.  This  resulted  in  the  placing  oi 
1501  more  hogs  on  farms  than  ordinarily  would  have  been  kept.  A  successful  fire 
protection  organization  was  also  effected  and  twenty-six  local  fire  companies 
formed.  They  put  out  fifteen  fires  and  reduced  the  loss  from  fire  very  materially 
over  that  for  1917  notwithstanding  the  present  year  was  the  driest  on  record.  The 
call  for  more  mutton  and  wool  was  met  by  the  farm  bureau  placing  more  than  a 
thousand  sheep  in  small  bands  on  farms.  The  need  for  more  wheat  enlisted  the 
attention  of  the  farm  bureau  and  about  2500  additional  acres  were  planted  for 
the  1919  crop  as  a  result  of  this  campaign.  Poultry  is  the  largest  single  industry 
in  the  county,  and  plans  have  been  outlined  for  the  scientific  improvement  of  this 
great  industry.  Farm  labor  demands  were  successfully  met  by  cooperation  with 
the  county  labor  agent  who  placed  3982  laborers  on  farms  to  meet  harvest  needs. 
Three  farm  bureau  demonstration  silos  and  two  other  silos  were  built  during  the 
year  and  sixty  acres  of  corn  planted  to  supply  silage  material.  A  farm  bureau 
monthly  was  published  dealing  with  important  agricultural  needs  in  the  county. 
A  cow  testing  association  was  started  with  1200  cows  and  an  apple  growers '  union 
was  organized,  and  capitalized  at  $25,000.  This  gave  increased  returns  to  the 
growers  of  not  less  than  $5000  during  the  year. 

The  county  farm  advisor  and  his  assistant  actively  cooperated  with  the  farm 
bureau  in  the  promotion  of  its  campaigns.  This  office  also  conducted  175  demon- 
strations on  farms  and  held  twenty-seven  field  demonstration  meetings  with  an 
attendance,  of  378.  These  covered  orchard  pruning,  the  control  of  fruit  tree  pests, 
sweet  sorghum  tests,  cover  crops,  animal  diseases  and  poultry  culling.  Thirteen 
boys'  agriculture  clubs  were  organized  in  cooperation  with  local  agricultural  high 
school  teachers  and  the  state  leader's  office.  Over  sixty  hogs  were  entered. 
Fifteen  farmers  kept  books  of  their  farming  operations  under  the  direction  of 
the  farm  advisor's  office  and  very  satisfactory  results  were  secured.  A  survey 
was  made  of  the  county  to  locate  limestone  deposits  to  supply  local  agricultural 
needs.  Fourteen  such  deposits  were  investigated  and  plans  were  outlined  for  the 
development  of  the  most  promising  ones.  The  farm  advisor  brought  about  the 
organization  of  the  Sonoma  County  Cattlemen's  Association  and  indications  point 
to  it  becoming  a  strong  factor  in  the  development  of  the  livestock  interests. 
During  the  year  150  animals  were  tested  for  tuberculosis. 

Plans  are  laid  for  extensive  demonstrations  covering  poultry  improvement  for 
the  immediate  future  and  a  much  greater  extension  of  the  fire  fighting  organization. 
An  investigation  of  farm  management  problems  will  also  be  undertaken  and 
special  emphasis  will  be  laid  on  the  importance  of  cover  crops  in  orchards  and 
soil  fertility  problems.  The  cattlemen's  organization  will  be  extended  and 
emphasis  laid  upon  a  more  extended  use  of  silos  among  dairymen.  The  cow 
testing  department  will  be  completed  and  placed  in  operation  and  an  attempt  will 
be  made  to  develop  local  limestone  deposits. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 1  346 

Total  farm  visits  made  by  farm  advisor 653 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 2  097 

Farm   bureau  meetings   held 171 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 7  074 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 14,G86 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 24*029 


53 


STANISLAUS  COUNTY 

This  county  farm  bureau  secured  especially  satisfactory  results  in  the  increased 
food  production  campaigns.  These  were  conducted  largely  through  committees 
appointed  in  the  various  farm  bureau  centers  who  took  the  responsibility  for 
canvassing  their  districts.  In  the  "keep  a  pig"  campaign  493  farmers  signed 
pledges  to  keep  a  total  of  3000  additional  hogs.  In  the  sheep  campaign  conducted 
later  3165  sheep  were  distributed  in  small  bands  on  farms.  In  this  connection  one 
carload  of  wool  was  pooled  by  farmers  through  the  farm  bureau  and  consigned 
direct  to  the  government.  One  hundred  and  eighty-two  farmers  have  pledged 
themselves  to  sow  more  wheat  than  was  sown  last  year,  making  a  total  of  over 
42,000  which  is  an  increase  of  over  36,000  acres  over  the  1918  crop.  This  county 
had  perhaps  the  largest  rural  fire  fighting  organization  in  the  state — twenty-six 
rural  companies  were  organized,  each  captained  by  a  deputy  state  fire  warden. 
These  companies  cooperated  with  a  motor  reserve  corps  organized  in  the  city 
of  Modesto.  These  organizations  fought  thirty-one  fires  and  it  is  estimated  saved 
over  $68,000  worth  of  foodstuffs  from  destruction  by  fire.  The  cow  testing  depart- 
ment of  the  farm  bureau  has  a  membership  of  ninety-one  and  is  testing  2500  cows. 
The  auction  sales  system  of  marketing  hogs  has  been  introduced,  several  successful 
sales  having  been  held  at  Tegner  in  cooperation  with  the  Merced  county  farm 
bureau. 

The  county  farm  advisor  and  assistant  conducted  an  agricultural  survey  of  the 
county  with  a  view  of  outlining  increased  crop  production  for  1919.  The  assistant 
farm  advisor  gave  particular  attention  to  the  introduction  of  honey  sorghum  as  a 
silage  crop  and  to  encourage  the  more  general  use  of  silos  in  the  county.  Two 
demonstration  wood  hoop  silos  were  erected  and  as  a  result  of  the  campaign  nine 
other  silos  of  this  type  were  built  and  twenty-two  of  other  types.  Twelve  hundred 
pounds  of  honey  sorghum  seed  was  distributed  through  the  farm  advisor's  office 
and  in  the  neighborhood  of  500  acres  were  planted  in  the  county.  Special  meet- 
ings have  been  arranged  for  both  rice  and  bean  growers  in  the  county.  The  farm 
advisor  secured  the  cooperation  of  the  food  administration  in  getting  needed  water 
for  the  rice  men  which  saved  the  rice  crop  from  a  partial  failure.  Demonstrations 
of  various  kinds  including  the  use  of  various  fertilizers  on  alfalfa,  use  of  lime 
in  fig  orchards,  variety  tests  of  wheat  and  barley,  tree  and  vine  pruning,  etc., 
have  been  conducted.  Nine  agriculture  clubs  with  a  membership  of  112  have  been 
organized. 

The  farm  bureau  is  particularly  interested  in  solving  the  drainage  problem 
of  Stanislaus  County.  The  rising  water  table  in  many  districts  is  causing  serious 
damage  and  the  farm  bureau  hopes  through  cooperation  with  the  various  districts 
to  plan  a  comprehensive  system  of  drainage  which  will  solve  the  problem  for  the 
county.  It  is  also  working  through  the  various  departments  to  improve  the  amount 
and  quality  of  livestock  produced,  and  to  bring  about  a  more  diversified  and 
therefore  a  more  permanent  type  of  agriculture. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 537 

Farm  visits  made  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 1,990 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 2,806 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 210 

Total  attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 7,058 

Letters   and   circulars    mailed 11,526 

Miles,  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistant 31,298 


54 

SUTTER  COUNTY 

Work  started  March,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  has  done  much  to  further  increased  food  production 
by  increasing  the  acreage  of  wheat  in  the  county  and  the  number  of  hogs  and 
sheep  kept  on  farms.  In  the  fire  protection  work  rural  fire  companies  were  not 
organized,  but  a  fire  control  ordinance  was  presented  to  the  county  supervisors, 
which  was  adopted,  and  each  farmer  was  asked  to  keep  fire  fighting  equipment  on 
his  own  place;  294  farmers  signed  pledges  to  secure  fire  fighting  equipment,  all 
but  100  of  them  agreeing  to  secure  fire  extinguishers  which  were  purchased 
cooperatively  at  a  considerable  saving  and  distributed  through  the  farm  bureau 
centers.  A  campaign  was  inaugurated  to  grow  more  forage  crops  for  livestock 
and  erect  silos.  Honey  sorghum  seed  was  secured  for  a  number  of  farmers  and 
one  demonstration  silo  of  the  farm  bureau  type  was  erected.  Two  automobile 
excursions  for  orchardists  were  conducted  to  other  parts  of  the  state  to  investigate 
orchard  practice.  Seventy  men  took  advantage  of  these  trips  and  visits  were 
made  to  the  orchards  in  Placer  County  where  the  parties  were  guests  of  the 
Placer  County  Farm  Bureau  and  shown  through  the  orchards  of  that  county.  A 
series  of  pruning  demonstrations  was  conducted  the  latter  part  of  November  and 
were  attended  by  215  people. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  given  personal  attention  to  the  food  campaign 
and  to  the  various  requests  from  the  government  for  information.  He  conducted 
a  labor  survey  of  the  county  in  September.  His  office  was  of  much  service  in 
securing  fee  extinguishers,  seed,  etc.,  for  the  farm  bureau.  He  has  been  interested 
in  introducing  Tennessee  winter  barley  into  Sutter  County  and  this  fall  secured 
ten  tons  of  seed  which  he  distributed  to  seven  different  farmers.  The  pig  club 
which  he  organized  secured  and  grew  thirty-four  pure  bred  Berkshire  pigs  to  the 
financial  benefit  of  the  club  members  and  to  the  general  benefit  of  the  county  in 
securing  good  stock.  He  assisted  in  the  control  of  red  spider  outbreaks  in  orchards 
and  bean  fields.  He  has  a  series  of  twelve  demonstrations  of  cover  crops  in 
orchards  that  have  been  planted. 

The  farm  bureau  is  interested  in  the  reclamation  work  going  on  in  the  county 
and  in  the  further  development  of  the  fruit  and  livestock  industries.  The  growth 
of  more  forage  crops  for  livestock,  erection  of  silos  and  more  diversified  farming 
is  encouraged.  A  farm  home  department  for  the  women  members  of  the  farm 
bureau  is  being  organized. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 201 

Total  number  of  farm  visits  made 396 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 516 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 46 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 1,552 

Letters  nad  circulars  mailed 3,422 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 10,045 


55 

TEHAMA  COUNTY 

Work  started  August,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  is  one  of  the  youngest  in  the  state  and  has  hardly  had 
time  to  get  on  a  good  working  basis.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  direc- 
tors, however,  steps  were  taken  to  get  behind  the  government  increased  food 
production  campaigns  and  plans  to  increase  particularly  the  livestock  production 
in  the  county  were  adopted.  Committees  were  appointed  to  work  on  an  increase 
of  both  hogs  and  sheep  on  farms  and  to  secure  a  large  acreage  in  wheat  in  the 
county.  On  this  latter  project  comparatively  little  effort  was  necessary  as  the 
county  was  already  a  considerable  producer  of  wheat  and  conditions  were  par- 
ticularly favorable  for  a  large  acreage  being  sown  in  the  fall.  The  organization 
has  interested  itself  in  the  problems  of  the  barley  growers  and  has  taken  steps 
looking  towards  an  organization  of  the  grain  men.  The  bureau  is  also  very  much 
interested  in  the  development  of  irrigation  in  the  county  and  is  cooperating  with 
other  organizations  in  an  endeavor  to  develop  the  Iron  Canyon  project. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  been  working  with  grain  growers  in  all  parts  of 
the  county  in  assisting  them  to  secure  good  seed  and  in  the  handling  of  seeding 
machinery.  He  has  had  many  calls  from  the  alfalfa  districts  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river  where  difficulty  has  been  experienced  by  farmers  in  getting  the  land  to 
properly  absorb  water.  He  has  started  a  series  of  demonstrations  in  handling  the 
soil  with  particular  relation  to  this  water  problem.  Two  irrigation  systems  were 
planned  for  farms.  A  series  of  pruning  demonstrations  have  been  held  in  the 
orchards  in  the  Corning  district  and  specialists  brought  in  to  investigate  certain 
problems  and  provide  information  on  insect  and  disease  control. 

The  farm  bureau  is  particularly  interested  in  the  development  of  irrigation 
facilities  for  the  county,  and  is  naturally  using  all  its  resources  to  bring  about  the 
development  of  the  Iron  Canyon  project.  This  would  bring  a  big  acreage  of  land 
in  the  county  under  ditch  and  would  mean  a  large  increase  in  agricultural  pro- 
duction. The  organization  is  also  interested  in  the  marketing  of  farm  products 
and  plans  for  a  marketing  department  of  the  farm  bureau  were  under  way.  Out- 
lying districts  are  particularly  in  need  of  better  marketing  facilities  and  it  is 
proposed  to  secure  a  man  to  devote  his  entire  time  to  promoting  cooperative 
marketing  of  farm  products.  Tehama  County  has  big  opportunities  for  develop- 
ment through  a  more  diversified  agriculture,  improvement  in  crops  and  livestock, 
irrigation  and  drainage,  and  the  farm  bureau  proposes  that  all  sections  and  all 
interests  shall  work  together  to  this  end. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 95 

Farm  visits  made  by  the  farm  advisor 96 

Calls  at  the  farm  advisor's  office  for  information  118 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 19 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 286 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 700 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor 3,308 


56 


TULARE  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  through  its  marketing  department  has  saved  members 
some  $40,000  through  the  sale  of  8648  head  of  hogs  valued  at  $204,969.  An  inter- 
eounty  association  has  now  been  formed  for  the  purpose  of  coordinating  the  activ- 
ities of  the  marketing  departments  of  the  counties  in  the  southern  part  of  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley.  The  farm  bureau  secured  a  special  investigation  of  a  serious 
situation  in  the  citrus  groves  of  the  county  resulting  in  a  constructive  recommen- 
dation to  the  orchardist  regarding  the  handling  of  the  situation.  Twelve  fire- 
fighting  units  were  organized  in  the  valley  area  and  ten  fire-fighting  units  were 
organized  in  the  mountain  area  through  the  work  of  the  farm  bureau.  Several 
fires  which  started  were  put  out  quickly  by  the  use  of  this  apparatus  at  a  saving 
of  approximately  $6000  to  the  county.  Rabbit  drives  were  organized  during  the 
spring  and  four  to  five  thousand  jack  rabbits  killed.  Two  hundred  and  twenty 
farmers  attended  farm  bureau  pruning  demonstrations,  conducted  at  six  different 
vineyards.  Selected  milo  maize  seed  was  secured  by  the  farm  bureau  and  sold  to 
farmers  in  the  county,  resulting  in  an  estimated  increase  of  20  per  cent  in  the 
yields  secured. 

The  county  farm  advisor,  with  the  help  of  an  assistant  since  July  1,  1918,  has 
directed  the  special  food  production  campaigns  in  the  county  in  addition  to 
carrying  on  the  routine  work  of  the  farm  advisor's  office.  The  farm  advisor  held 
eight  demonstration  meetings  on  the  control  of  smut,  137  grain  men  being  present 
at  these  demonstrations.  Twenty  farms  responded  to  the  call  for  increased  wool 
production  by  the  purchase  of  546  sheep,  while  102  farmers  purchased  a  total  of 
682  pigs  as  a  result  of  the  pork  production  campaign.  Twenty -five  laborers  secured 
positions  through  the  activity  of  the  farm  advisor's  office.  Five  silo-raising 
demonstrations  were  held  with  the  result  that  thirty  other  silos  were  constructed. 
A  tractor  school  of  one  hundred  was  conducted  by  the  farm  advisor  cooperating 
with  the  school  authorities  in  Visalia. 

The  agricultural  problems  in  Tulare  County  are  becoming  more  acute  and  the 
need  for  agricultural  extension  work  more  real  as  the  vacant  land  is  more  closely 
settled  and  the  agricultural  practice  becomes  more  intensive.  Seed  selection,  the 
use  of  fertilizer  and  the  adoption  of  better  methods  of  culture  will  be  urged  for 
the  general  field  crops  of  the  county.  Efforts  will  be  made  to  improve  livestock 
through  cow  testing  work,  through  the  use  of  pure  bred  animals,  and  by  a  cam- 
paign to  construct  a  silo  on  every  dairy  farm  in  the  county.  The  auction  sale 
system  which  has  been  started  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction  and  will  be  followed 
up  in  order  to  perpetuate  the  results  so  far  secured.  Pruning  demonstrations  will 
be  continued  in  both  orchards  and  vineyards. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 900 

Total  farm  visits  made 727 

Calls  at  farm  advisor 's  office  for  information 734 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 159 

Attendance  at  the  farm  bureau  meetings 7,015 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 3,400 

Allies  traveled  by  farm  advisor  and  assistants 28,866 


57 


VENTURA  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  organized  ten  voluntary  fire  fighting  organizations  and 
secured  $2500  from  the  county  supervisors  for  the  equiping  of  six  stations  which 
were  located  throughout  danger  zones  in  the  county.  This  with  the  equiping  of 
warehouses  with  extinguishers  has  materially  aided  in  checking  damage  from 
fires.  Two  thousand  sheep  and  about  fifty  hogs  were  brought  into  the  county 
as  a  result  of  campaigns  along  these  lines.  A  labor  survey  was  made  and  300 
laborers  imported  for  harvest  needs.  This  was  augmented  by  the  Boys'  Working 
Eeserve  and  Women's  Land  Army  which  enabled  the  saving  of  crops  without 
loss  for  lack  of  help.  A  campaign  was  also  carried  on  to  improve  housing  con- 
ditions for  laborers  and  resulted  in  the  construction  of  about  200  modern  cottages 
in  the  county.  The  farm  bureau  saved  several  hundred  head  of  cattle  during  the 
drouth  of  1917  by  purchasing  thirty  tons  of  cottonseed  cake  and  330  tons  of  other 
feed  and  selling  it  at  cost  to  cattlemen.  Twenty-nine  demonstration  meetings 
with  an  attendance  of  535  were  held  covering  pruning,  the  control  of  orchard  pests, 
the  growing  of  sorghums  and  corn,  and  morning  glory  control  work.  A  drainage 
project  covering  the  reclamation  of  about  12  000  acres  of  land  was  placed  under 
way  and  will  be  continued  next  year.  Six  hundred  quarts  of  fruit  were  canned, 
200  dozen  eggs  stored  and  5000  pounds  of  dried  fruit  put  up  by  the  farm  home 
department.  Fifteen  thousand  pounds  of  poisoned  grain  were  distributed  at  cost 
to  farmers  for  rodent  control  work. 

The  county  farm  advisor  induced  forty-one  farmers  to  plant  sweet  sorghum 
and  it  was  found  that  this  crop  yielded  double  that  of  Indian  corn  for  feed.  It 
should  be  grown  from  five  to  fifteen  miles  from  the  coast,  however,  for  best 
results.  Demonstrations  with  five  varieties  of  nonsaccharine  sorghums  gave  very 
promising  results  in  the  warmer  parts  of  the  county.  Twenty  varieties  of  beans 
were  tested  near  the  coast  for  home  garden  purposes  and  several  varieties  were 
selected  for  propagation.  Other  tests  with  limas,  blue  pods  and  Indian  corn  were 
made  throughout  the  county  with  very  successful  results.  Demonstrations  for  the 
control  of  scaly  bark  and  control  methods  for  the  corn  ear  worm  on  lima  beans 
received  much  attention.  An  inspection  of  the  bee  pasturage  indicated  that  the 
county  is  only  about  half  stocked  with  bees  and  plans  were  made  for  expansion  in 
this  line.  A  crop  index  for  the  county  is  also  being  prepared  showing  the  prin- 
cipal commercial  crops  grown.  The  farm  advisor  prepared  a  booth  with  200 
exhibits  for  the  county  fair  which  was  very  successful  and  purely  of  an  educational 
nature. 

The  plan  of  work  for  1919  will  continue  the  improvement  of  housing  conditions 
for  laborers,  bean  selection  work  and  more  beef  cattle  to  be  kept  on  farms. 
Three  demonstration  silos  are  planned  and  a  continuation  of  pruning  demonstra- 
tions will  be  undertaken.  Crop  index  work  for  the  county  will  be  continued  and 
a  greatly  increased  acreage  of  grain  hay  will  be  planted  in  the  hilly  parts  of  the 
county.  Sugar  beet  culture  will  be  stimulated  in  areas  suited  to  this  crop  and 
bee  culture  will  be  greatly  increased.  A  special  effort  will  be  made  to  stimulate 
winter  vegetable  growing  because  of  the  suitability  of  the  soils  and  climate  for 
this  purpose.  Eodent  control  and  special  work  on  general  farm  crop  and  fruit 
pests  will  also  receive  special  attention  as  will  also  a  continuation  of  the  work  of 
reclaiming  of  lowlands  for  crop  growth. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 342 

Total   farm   visits   made 350 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 1,755 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 101 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 4,696 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 6,109 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 14,037 


58 


YOLO  COUNTY 

The  county  farm  bureau  was  very  active  in  the  food  production  and  con- 
servation campaigns.  Immediately  when  attention  was  called  to  the  threatened 
shortage  of  pork  last  spring,  farm  bureau  committees  were  appointed  to  secure 
from  farmers  pledges  to  keep  more  hogs  than  they  otherwise  would  have  done  and 
interviewed  hog  buyers  and  others  to  prevent  the  shipment  of  sows  and  pigs  to 
market.  In  this  way  the  flow  of  breeding  stock  to  market  almost  immediately 
stopped  and  the  hogs  maintained  on  farms  in  Yolo  County.  Likewise  con- 
siderable success  was  met  with  the  sheep  campaign  and  nearly  2000  sheep  were 
placed  on  farms.  The  wheat  campaign  was  also  successful  and  the  Yolo  County 
allotment  of  7000  acres  was  far  exceeded,  the  total  increase  secured  being  27,000 
acres.  This  campaign  was  followed  by  a  series  of  demonstrations  on  the  proper 
treatment  of  seed  wheat  for  smut  control  and  a  large  part  of  the  wheat  planted 
was  treated  by  the  bluestone-lime  formula  as  recommended.  Fire  protection  was 
begun  a  year  ago  but  the  organization  was  increased  this  year  and  loss  from  grain 
fires  in  the  county  was  far  below  normal,  according  to  insurance  companies.  This 
farm  bureau  has  been  conducting  demonstrations  in  tree  and  vine  pruning  for 
some  time.  The  trellising  of  Thompson  seedless  grapes  has  been  particularly 
successful  in  increasing  the  yield  of  grapes  and  this  practice  has  been  adopted  by 
about  60  per  cent  of  the  growers  in  the  county.  Material  improvement  has  been 
made  in  the  bean  yield  in  the  river  section  through  demonstrations  in  the  selection 
of  bean  seed  and  in  the  preparation  of  the  seed  bed.  This  county  has  succeeded  in 
introducing  Tennessee  winter  barley  which  has  proved  on  the  average  to  yield 
considerably  higher  than  common  barley  and  this  fall  seed  for  approximately 
4000  acres  has  been  distributed  for  the  coming  season. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  been  particularly  active  in  giving  information  and 
help  to  individual  farmers.  He  has  vaccinated  large  numbers  of  hogs  against 
hog  cholera  and  due  to  this  work  and  demonstrations  with  hog-cholera  control 
this  disease  is  entirely  under  control  in  the  county.  He  introduced  and  fostered 
the  system  of  trellising  Thompson  seedless  grapes  in  the  county.  He  introduced 
honey  sorghum  as  a  silage  crop  and  increased  yields  have  resulted.  He  has  con- 
ducted demonstrations  on  the  control  of  red  spider  in  orchards  and  bean  fields 
and  on  the  control  of  the  grape  leaf  hopper  in  vineyards. 

The  county  farm  bureau  is  at  present  considering  the  development  of  further 
irrigation  water  for  the  county.  Lack  of  water  is  the  limiting  factor  in  the 
further  development  of  a  more  diversified  agriculture.  The  farm  bureau  is 
working  for  the  growth  of  more  alfalfa  and  other  forage  crops,  the  building  of 
silos  and  the  production  of  more  livestock  in  the  county.  It  is  also  endeavoring  to 
work  out  a  system  of  rotation  for  the  rice  fields  in  the  western  part  of  the  county 
and  render  that  a  more  permanent  form  of  agriculture. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 425 

Total   farm  visits  made 603 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 343 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held Ill 

Attendance  at  farm  bureau  metings 3,069 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 950 

Miles  traveled  by  farm  advisor 15,228 


59 

YUBA  COUNTY 

Work  started  July,  1918 

The  county  farm  bureau  was  organized  primarily  to  assist  in  food  production 
campaigns  and  began  work  before  the  farm  advisor  was  placed  in  the  county. 
The  campaign  to  increase  pork  production  was  successful  in  keeping  a  larger 
number  of  pigs  on  farms  and  later  some  1200  sheep  were  placed  in  small  flocks 
on  farms.  A  rural  fire  fighting  organization  of  five  units  was  completed  and 
equipped  partially  by  an  appropriation  provided  by  the  supervisors  and  partially 
by  money  contributed  by  the  farm  bureau,  each  unit  being  equipped  with  a  trailer 
complete  with  fire  extinguishers  and  other  fire  fighting  apparatus.  The  county 
easily  increased  its  acreage  of  wheat  for  the  1919  crop  by  10,000  acres  over  that 
planted  for  1918.  The  organization  has  interested  itself  in  the  extension  of 
irrigation  in  the  county  and  has  secured  the  cooperation  of  the  government  for 
an  investigation  with  a  view  to  enlarging  the  Browns  Valley  irrigation  district. 

The  county  farm  advisor  has  been  of  much  help  to  farmers  in  some  of  the 
outlying  sections  of  the  county  in  assisting  them  to  find  a  market  for  their  products. 
He  has  taken  a  particular  interest  in  the  development  of  irrigation  in  the  county 
and  has  secured  the  cooperation  of  the  government  engineer  located  at  Orland. 
He  conducted  a  series  of  demonstrations  in  the  treatment  of  seed  wheat  to  prevent 
smut  and  has  introduced  the  growing  of  legumes  to  build  up  the  soils  in  the  county. 
He  has  brought  in  three  carloads  of  lime  which  have  been  distributed  among  the 
farmers.  He  has  been  the  means  of  bringing  a  number  of  pure  bred  animals  into 
the  county  and  has  organized  one  cooperative  bull  association,  probably  the  first 
association  of  its  kind  in  the  state.  He  has  been  appointed  the  war  garden 
director  for  the  county  and  has  started  a  project  of  planting  trees  along  the  public 
highways. 

Many  lines  of  work  are  being  considered  by  the  farm  bureau.  Yuba  County 
has  many  opportunities  for  agricultural  development.  Large  tracts  of  land  will 
become  much  more  productive  with  the  development  of  further  irrigation  water 
for  the  county  and  this  is  one  of  the  things  which  the  farm  bureau  is  most  inter- 
ested in  at  the  present  time.  It  hopes  to  greatly  extend  the  rice  area  of  the  county 
as  well  as  fruit,  livestock  and  dairy  production.  Due  to  the  fact  that  the  busy 
season  of  increased  food  production  work  was  followed  by  the  suspension  of  all 
meetings  on  account  of  the  influenza  epidemic  little  organization  work  has  been 
done  and  there  are  but  seven  farm  bureau  centers  in  the  county. 

Membership  in  the  farm  bureau 121 

Farm  visits  made  by  farm  advisor 262 

Calls  at  farm  advisor's  office  for  information 253 

Farm  bureau  meetings  held 20 

Total  attendance  at  farm  bureau  meetings 401 

Letters  and  circulars  mailed 472 

Miles  traveled  by  the  farm  advisor 3,713 


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BULLETINS 
No. 

Enological  Investigations.  278. 

Humus  in  California  Soils.  279. 

The  Loquat.  280. 
Utilization  of  the  Nitrogen  and  Organic 

Matter   in    Septic   and   Imhoff   Tank  281. 

Sludges. 

Deterioration  of  Lumber.  282. 
Irrigation   and  Soil  Conditions  in  the 

Sierra  Nevada  Foothills,  California.  283. 

The  Citricola  Scale.  284. 

New  Dosage  Tables.  285. 

Melaxuma    of    the    Walnut,    "Juglans  286. 

regia."  288. 
Citrus   Diseases   of   Florida   and   Cuba 

Compared  with  Those  of  California.  290. 
Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

The  Calibration  of  the  Leakage  Meter.  292. 
A  Spotting  of  Citrus  Fruits  Due  to  the 

Action  of  Oil  Liberated  from  the  Rind.  293. 

Experiments  with  Stocks  for  Citrus.  296. 

Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings.  297. 

A  Comparison  of  Annual  Cropping,  Bi-  298. 

ennial  Cropping,  and  Green  Manures  299. 

on  the  Yield  of  Wheat. 
Feeding  Dairy  Calves  in  California.  300. 
Commercial  Fertilizers.  301. 
Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 
yard Experimental  Drain.  302. 
The  Common  Honey  Bee  as  an  Agent 

in  Prune  Pollination.  303. 

The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in  Cali-  304. 

fornia. 

The  Pomegranate.  305. 
Sudan  Grass. 

CIRCULARS 
No. 

168. 

169. 
170. 

172. 
173. 

174. 
175. 

176. 

177. 
179. 

181. 

182. 

183. 
184. 
186. 
187. 
188. 
189. 
190. 
191. 
193. 
195. 

196. 
197. 

198. 
200. 

201. 
202. 

203. 
204. 

205. 
206. 
207. 


Grafting  Vinifera  Vineyards. 

The  Selection  and  Cost  of  a  Small 
.Pumping  Plant. 

Alfalfa   Silage  for  Fattening  Steers. 

Spraying  for  the  Grape  Leaf  Hopper. 

House  Fumigation. 

Insecticide  Formulas. 

The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects. 

Spraying  for  Control  of  Walnut  Aphis. 

County  Farm  Adviser. 

Official  Tests  of  Dairy  Cows. 

Melilotus  Indica. 

Wood  Decay  in  Orchard  Trees. 

The  Silo  in  California  Agriculture. 

The  Generation  of  Hydrocyanic  Acid 
Gas  in  Fumigation  by  Portable  Ma- 
chines. 

The  Practical  Application  of  Improved 
Methods  of  Fermentation  in  Califor- 
nia Wineries  during  1913  and  1914. 

Practical  and  Inexpensive  Poultry  Ap- 
pliances. 

Control  of  Grasshoppers  in  Imperial 
Valley. 

Oidium  or  Powderv  Mildew  of  the  Vine. 

Tomato  Growing  in  California. 

"Lungworms." 

Feeding  and  Management  of  Hogs. 

Some  Observations  on  the  Bulk  Hand- 
ling of  Grain  in  California. 

Announcement  of  the  California  State 
Dairv  Cow  Competition,   1916-18. 

Irrigation  Practice  in  Growing  Small 
Fruits  in  California. 

Bovine  Tuberculosis. 

How  to  Operate  an  Incubator. 

Control  of  the  Pear  Scab. 

Home  and  Farm  Canning. 

Lettuce  Growing  in  California. 

White  Diarrhoea  and  Coccidiosis  of 
Chicks. 

Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 

Fundamentals  of  Sugar  Beets  under 
California    Conditions. 

The  County  Farm  Bureau. 

Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 


Grain  Sorghums. 

Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California. 

Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 
Valley. 

Control  of  the  Pocket  Gophers  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

Trials  with  California  Silage  Crops  for 
Dairy  Cows. 

The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  Imperial  Valley. 

The  Milch  Goat  in  California. 

Commercial  Fertilizers. 

Potash  from  Tule  and  the  Fertilizer 
Value  of  Certain  Marsh  Plants. 

The  June  Drop  of  Washington  Navel 
Oranges. 

Green  Manure  Crops  in  Southern  Cali- 
fornia. 

Sweet  Sorghums  for  Forage. 

Topping  and  Pinching  Vines. 

The  Almond  in   California. 

The  Seedless  Raisin  Grapes. 

The  Use  of  Lumber  on  California 
Farms. 

Commercial  Fertilizers. 

California  State  Dairy  Cow  Competi- 
tion,  1916-18. 

Control  of  Ground  Squirrels  by  the 
Fumigation  Method. 

Grape   Syrup. 

A  Study  of  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on 
Citrus  in  California. 

The  Influence  of  Barley  on  the  Milk 
Secretions  of  Cows. 


Spraying  for  the  Control  of  Wild  Morn- 
ing-Glory within  the  Fog  Belt. 

The  1918  Grain  Crop. 

Fertilizing  California  Soils  for  the 
1918  Crop. 

Wheat  Culture. 

The  Construction  of  the  Wood-Hoop 
Silo. 

Farm  Drainage  Methods. 

Progress  Report  on  the  Marketing  and 
Distribution  of  Milk. 

Hog  Cholera  Prevention  and  the 
Serum  Treatment. 

Grain  Sorghums. 

Factors  of  Importance  in  Producing 
Milk  of  Low  Bacterial  Count. 

Control  of  the  California  Ground 
Squirrel. 

Extending  the  Area  of  Irrigated  Wheat 
in  California  for  1918. 

Infectious  Abortion  in  Cows. 

A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm. 

Poultry  on  the  Farm. 

Utilizing  the  Sorghums. 

Lambing  Sheds. 

Winter  Forage  Crops. 

Agriculture  Clubs  in  California. 

Pruning  the  Seedless  Grapes. 

A  Study  of  Farm  Labor  in  California. 

Revised  Compatibilitv  Chart  of  Insecti- 
cides and  Fungicides. 

Dairy  Calves  for  Veal. 

Suggestions  for  Increasing  Egg  Pro- 
duction in  a  Time  of  High-Feed  Prices. 

Syrup  from  Sweet  Sorghum. 

Growing  the  Fall  or  Second  Crop  of 
Potatoes  in  California. 

Helpful  Hints  to  Hog  Raisers. 

County  Organization  for  Rural  Fire 
Control. 

Peat  as  a  Manure  Substitute. 

Handbook  of  Plant  Diseases  and  Pest 
Control. 

Blackleg. 

Jack  Cheese. 

Neufchatel  Cheese. 


